White Light
by Miss Kansas
Summary: When pesky 'demons' begin to act mischievously, Weiss questions why. It isn't until a certain blonde opens her eyes to the New World does she get answers that also stem from her past. Priestess & High School AU.
1. That White Hypnotic Spark

**Back at it with another fic! You can stop the applause now. Welcome to my new Priestess & High School AU story! For those who know my style, I based this fic off songs. If you want an idea of what White Light is about, check them out. These four songs are sung by ****Amalee** **. You can easily find her on youtube.**

 **I got the PS4 and a game for Christmas 2017. The game was Tales of Zestiria. Before that, I watched the anime and fell in love with the opening song:**

 **White Light**

 **Other songs this story is based on:**

 **I'm a Believer from the anime Haikyuu!**

 **Here from The Ancient Magus' Bride**

 **Cross the Line from Izetta the Last Witch**

 **All great anime by the way. This fic is** **not** **based on the** **entirety** **of the songs or anime. These songs just gave me ideas of how the overall plot should go and connect with the story like I've done with my other fics.**

 **Want to know how many chappys it is? Visit my profile. We're in for the long haul again, Dandelions.** **The pairings will be updated very soon. Until then, have fun guessing even though it shouldn't be that hard.**

 **Huge thank you to Shadow Nightblade for improving this story. He's read every. Single. Chapter. To make sure White Light is the best it can be. He's given me suggestions, jokes, ideas, and has been such a great help, so thanks, man. Also, thank you to the group I'm in called Legion205. They've been a great help, too :D**

 **~Hope you enjoy!~**

* * *

There was a loud, crackling sound. Like someone was rustling through a crinkly bag. This would be acceptable if it was lunch time. But right now, it was dead silent besides the booming voice in the lecture hall.

Professor Port was telling his tales of bravery from back when he was in the military. For once, it was an intriguing story. Too bad the annoying, god-forsaken sound ruined it.

She looked down to notice her friend, who was sitting next to her, had a packet of cookies hidden in her lap.

"Ruby, you dolt!" she harshly whispered, which elicited a slight yelp. "Now's not the time for snacks."

Ruby offered her a dry laugh. "Sorry, Weiss. I got hungry."

A new voice, who sat on the other side of Weiss, chimed in. "For diabetes?"

"Quiet, Yang," Ruby retorted.

"Says you," Yang whispered. "You think you're bein' quiet?"

After a sigh, Ruby placed the remaining cookies in her backpack. A gentle hand was then placed on her back. Rarely did Blake say anything during a lecture like this one.

"It's for your own good," Blake whispered. "Try to eat something healthy."

"Ugh, you sound like Dad," Ruby whined.

"I know," Blake casually replied.

The girls focused on the lecture for a few more minutes. It was always boring listening to Port's voice. There was something about his deep tone that almost rocked them to sleep. There could be only so many stories he could tell without repeating himself. It was hard not to fall asleep. Practically everyone in the classroom adorned lifeless eyes. Besides Weiss, who was vigilantly taking notes.

Thankfully, it didn't take long for the bell to chime.

As they began packing notebooks and other supplies, some of their friends appeared by their seats.

"Hey, guys!" Nora greeted. "What're your plans after this?"

Ren joined her side. "Nora, Jaune, Pyrrha and I are going to get ice cream if any of you are interested."

Nora heavily sighed. "It's been a looooong day."

"You're tellin' me," Yang heavily sighed.

"Yes, yes, a million times yes!" Ruby exclaimed, practically bouncing up and down in her seat. She looked to her friends for approval, but they gave her death stares. "Come on! Just one scoop? Pwetty pwease?"

There it was. Her signature puppy dog eyes. No one could resist turning down the hopeful twinkle in those silver orbs. Somehow, Ruby managed to be cuter than Zwei sometimes.

"Rubes, what did we just talk about?" Yang asked.

"Wait, I don't need your permission," Ruby crossed her arms in victory and announced proudly. "I'm an adult."

"You're sixteen," Blake deadpanned.

Ruby said no more and packed her things. She joined Ren and Nora's side. "Are you coming or not?"

Blake and Yang grabbed their backpacks and joined them. Before they left, Yang looked over her shoulder. "You comin', Weiss?"

"No, I have to go. Excuse me," with that, Weiss left the room.

Nora tilted her head in confusion. It looked as though she was in a hurry. "What's up with her?"

"Probably her time of the month," Yang concluded.

"Yang!" Ruby and Blake yelped.

The comment caused Ren to shyly look away.

"What?" Yang asked. "We're all synced up, aren't we?"

"Or," Blake added. "She has a project to work on. She must be going to the library."

"Why didn't you say that before?" the blonde asked.

"I didn't think your train of thought would jump to menstrual cycles."

"Then you clearly don't know me as well as you think you do," Yang laughed.

* * *

" _Just ignore them,_ " _she said,_ Weiss bitterly thought. _Much easier said than done._

Currently, Weiss was sitting in the library attempting to study. She found herself failing to because of certain, annoying distractions.

 _Pesky demons._

All Weiss' life, she felt cursed. Recently, the demons swarmed her school. Normally, there weren't that many, but today was overwhelming.

From birth, Weiss could see them. Even though no one else could. These pests she dubbed 'demons' were tiny creatures. Ranging from snakes to wolves. Despite being different creatures, the demons all had their appearance in common. Every single one had ominous red eyes and their bodies emanated from the darkness.

Weiss remained poker-faced as she watched a baby wolf demon swat some random student's cheek. The student remained unaware of its presence. However, she clearly felt something, maybe something akin to a breeze, and she set a hand on her cheek, then went back to studying like nothing happened.

" _A gift," she said. How does Winter stay so positive?_ Weiss thought as she gazed around the library. The demons sure are making themselves at home. There was even a tiny bird demon chilling on some student's shoulder.

"Hey, snow angel," a guy's voice grabbed her attention.

Reluctantly, Weiss closed her textbook and noticed it was Jaune, who took a seat across from her.

"Don't call me that," Weiss stated. "Do you need something?"

Jaune pointed behind him toward the library's entrance. "A bunch of us are going to get ice cream. We'd love it if you'd come with us."

"I have a project, is that not a good enough excuse?"

"It's perfectly reasonable," Jaune shrugged. "It just wouldn't be the same without you, ya know?"

It was then that a tiny bird demon landed on Jaune's shoulder. Unable to help herself, Weiss stared at the pest as its red eyes locked with hers. Like Jaune was a tree, the demon began pecking the side of his head with its sharp beak. Clearly, Jaune felt something as he rubbed his face. This caused the hatchling to fly away and sit on the front desk instead.

"Something bothering you?" Weiss asked.

"Agh, just an itch," Jaune dismissed. "So, whaddya say?"

"Jaune, it's ice cream," Weiss said bluntly. "You'll live. I'll hang out with everyone some other time, okay?"

"Deal," Jaune accepted and stood. "If you change your mind just text us."

With a sheepish grin, Jaune left the library and left Weiss in peace...

… Until the same demon bird plopped on her shoulder.

 _What the-_

This was rare. Normally, the demons steered clear of her. It was unnatural for them to even approach her. From her mere presence, the demons cleared the area or made sure to keep their distance. Yet, this bird demon cozied up to her like she was its nest.

Not amused from the unwelcome guest, Weiss sent it a death glare. The bird sent a challenging stare right back with its glowing blood eyes.

Casually, Weiss scanned the large area. Bookshelves skewered anyone from seeing her. From witnessing what she had planned. Luckily, she picked a secluded table to sit. Away from other people.

With quick reflexes, Weiss grabbed the small, sharp beak. It was so sudden the demon bird had no time to squawk and flail.

Just as she touched the beak, there was a bright, white light. That familiar white hypnotic spark. The bird demon shifted to an iridescent glow that consumed the library. The darkness faded into white, and the demon slowly withered away into nothingness as if it was never there.

From that, the remaining demons fled the scene, not wanting to be her next victim. With that, Weiss was free to go back to studying in peace.

 _Consider yourself purified._

* * *

It didn't take long for the group to grab their respective ice creams. Since it was a sunny day, the friends elected to sit outside in the bustling city of Vale.

Ruby happily licked her chocolate cone. "This hits the spot in this weather!"

"Tell me about it!" Nora agreed and practically devoured her cone. "Ya like yours so far, Ren?"

After Ren swallowed his vanilla ice cream, he spoke. "It's delicious."

Yang meticulously inspected her coffee flavored ice cream. "It is homemade, so it should be. We deserve this after that lecture."

Nora slammed her hands on the table. "It was torture!"

After there was a round of laughter, Blake pointed at Jaune's smaller cup. "You didn't get much. Upset stomach?"

"He has to limit his dairy intake, or he'll fart non-stop," Nora informed with a giggle.

"Nora!" Jaune yelped. "You said you wouldn't tell anyone!"

"There, there, Jaune," Pyrrha comforted. "We all have our…" she paused, searching for the appropriate word. "... quirks."

Jaune visibly sunk in his seat. "'Quirks,'" he quoted. "Thanks, Pyr."

Pyrrha grinned, not realizing that he was being sarcastic. "Anytime."

When Ruby was done with her cone, she slurped and noticed he still looked downcast. "What's wrong, Jaune? I can tell you're sad, but not about the ice cream."

Before he could answer, Yang replied. "What are you talking about? That's the face he makes when he's wondering if he should fart or not."

"Oh ha-ha," Jaune fake laughed. "Fart jokes are so clever. Really. In all seriousness, I just wish Weiss could've come is all."

Yang slid her bowl to the side and sighed. "The princess needs to get out more."

"It can't be helped," Blake chimed. "She's in a lot of AP classes."

Yang sighed. "All she does is study, study, study. I don't know how she does it."

"Probably pancakes!" Nora cheered.

"Probably not," Yang reasoned. "Although, that would be good brain food."

When Ruby noticed everyone was done eating their ice cream, she asked. "Who's paying?"

Instantly, everyone placed their fingers on their noses. The last one to do it was Ren, who lowered his head in shame. There were collective cheers while he sighed.

"I'm going to be cleaned out…"

* * *

After getting ice cream, Yang made her regular trek through the woods. She'd done this every day after school for about a year now. Her excuse so no one would come with her was that she was going for a jog.

Yang gazed around and checked over her shoulder.

 _All clear._

Within the depths of the woods, her destination was almost in sight.

Red arches scoured the walkway in a perfect row. Each beamed under the sun's gentle rays. After Yang glanced around to make sure no one was following her, she went through the walkway.

This part was always so peaceful as she took in the sights. The birds chirped, the leaves were vibrant green, and there was the occasional breeze.

 _I hope Weiss is okay. She's been acting strangely lately._

It didn't take long for a sacred building to appear before her. It was clearly a temple that stood proudly on a small hill. The sacred temple adorned a roof that curved upward and was costed in layers of white stones. From the sunlight, the temple glowed and emitted its own aura.

Just before Yang entered the temple, she was greeted by two old stone lion statues. Each one was cracked in different places, but held that feeling of power. Instantly, she pressed down on the left lion's head. This caused the giant double doors to slide apart.

It was true she'd seen this a million times, but the beauty never faded. She walked along the pathway of the red carpet. Soon, she was greeted with a golden throne on top of a dozen wooden steps.

On the throne was an older man with a cane, who clearly belonged.

"Yang," the man greeted. "Is there something on your mind?"

Despite the sacristy of the temple, Yang replied with her natural gusto. "Nothin' gets by you, huh?"

"My job wouldn't suit me if I couldn't read my students."

"Alright, Oz, here it is..."

* * *

 **The chapter title refers to the song White Light. "Take aim and hit the mark. 'That white hypnotic spark.' Now it's time to rise as one. I wanna be the white, white light."**

 **Fun fact: this story was outlined on Christmas 2017 on a flight to Florida.**

 **The next chapter will be posted every Sunday, taking the place of Let Me Hear.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	2. Warm and Cold

**Yoyoyo go check out the four songs this fic is based on! The information is at the beginning of the first chappy. Side note: stayed at a haunted hotel over the weekend. How spoooky.**

* * *

"Daaaaaaaaaaad," Ruby called from the other room.

"Yeeeees?" Taiyang asked.

Glad she got his attention, Ruby requested. "Can you please make me a sandwich? I'm hungry."

Taiyang's hands were slimy from the dish he was preparing, so he set the knife on the counter and adjusted his apron. His beloved daughter was sitting on the couch in the living room. To help her, he sauntered in.

The sight caused a grin to form. He loved it when his three daughters spent time together. Ruby, Blake, and Yang were sitting on the cozy couch watching a movie. What made it look more snuggly was the fact that Zwei was curled in Blake's lap as she subconsciously rubbed his fur.

There were pictures of his family scattered around the family room. Taiyang's favorite was when all of them went on a fishing trip, and Blake caught a fish too big for her to handle. Back then, she was just a child, so the fish almost flopped out of her hands. Taiyang helped her reel it in and they had it for dinner that night several years ago.

With bravado, Taiyang walked around the three and pretended to throw salt on them without saying a word.

Yang perked an amused brow. "What're you doing?"

"Poof!" Taiyang exclaimed. "You're a sandwich."

Collective groans. Even Zwei did his little doggy sigh.

"Daaaad," Ruby whined. "I didn't mean literally."

Yang didn't look up from her phone. "Your dad jokes are getting old."

"They're not that bad," Taiyang retorted.

Ruby gazed at him knowingly. "What's your best one?"

"You."

That caused Yang to set her phone down. It didn't take long for her and Blake to crack up.

"Okay, I'll give you that one," Yang said, trying not to stammer from giggling.

Even Ruby had to laugh at that. "Had that coming."

"It's okay, Ruby, we still love you," Taiyang said teasingly. "The salmon will be ready in a few minutes, can you wait?"

Yang grinned. "I thought somethin' smelled fishy."

"Salmon?" Ruby asked excitedly. "I bet Blake's-"

The moment she looked over at the cat faunus, words stopped coming out.

Blake was already drooling from the mere thought of the delectable fish. Her mouth hung open and amber eyes were the size of dinner plates. She was staring at the television, but it was clear that she was off in her own world. Possibly surrounded by thousands of edible fish she could nibble on to her heart's content.

"-excited," Ruby finished.

A bark.

"It's Blake's night," Taiyang reminded. "We haven't had fish in a while, so I figured she'd like that."

"Thank you…" all Blake could do was mumble, thinking about the pure goodness that would soon be sliding down her throat. The warm, pink fish would soon be hers for the taking. She could hardly wait.

Playfully, Yang gave her little sister a noogie. "We need to get more amino acids in you!"

"Ah, Yaaaang, let go of me!" Ruby tried to wiggle out of her clutches, but Yang was too strong.

When Yang figured she'd teased Ruby enough, she released her.

"Freedom!" Ruby claimed triumphantly.

After Taiyang chuckled, he gazed down at the three. "I promise it'll be worth the wait," he walked into the kitchen and called over his shoulder. "Why don't you help set the table?"

"Okie dokie!" Ruby replied.

Together, the three followed him into the kitchen. While Taiyang trickled some lemon juice on the fresh salmon, the girls grabbed silverware and placed it on top of the napkins. The small brown, wooden table seated just four people. Although it was small, it allowed a close space and giddy conversations to thrive.

When the table was set, the girls took their seats. It didn't take long for Taiyang to bring the large plate of salmon and set it on the table. Steam was rising off it and it practically glimmered under the lighting. Next to the main dish was a couple of sliced toasts.

When it was secure, Yang and Ruby had to hold Blake back from pouncing.

"Smaller portions, Blakey," Yang reminded in a bargaining tone. "We'd like to eat some, too."

"Yeah, okay."

When it was safe, the sisters let go of her. Instead of grabbing her portion, Blake was firmly in her seat. When fish was involved, sometimes she'd get a little _too_ excited. So they'd have to cut the ration for her.

While Ruby distracted Blake from the deliciousness, Yang cut off a good chunk of the salmon and plopped it on her plate. After, she slid it over to Blake, who was across from her.

"You can have more when you finish that."

Without a word, Blake dug in.

"Glad we got through that without incident," Taiyang recalled. "It could've turned out like last time."

Ruby spoke robotically as if she re-lived a tragedy. "Fish… everywhere…"

On the other hand, Yang burst into laughter. "Zwei got so fat cleanin' all that up!"

Multiple chuckles.

The blonde leaned down to spot her dog. "You lost the weight, though. You're not nearly as pudgy."

A soft yip. This caused Ruby to casually toss a piece of the salmon on the wooden floor. Zwei was there in a second to act as a vacuum.

After Taiyang swallowed a bite, he asked. "You like it, Blake?"

The cat faunus' eyes almost rolled in the back of her head as she savored the taste. The flavor burst in her mouth as the warm pinkness slid down her throat. "It's straight out of the river…"

From that, Taiyang grinned widely. "Glad you like it."

Yang gave her a worried look. "Get a hold of yourself."

Ruby stabbed a piece and before she placed it in her mouth, said. "Just let her enjoy it."

There was the clinking of utensils and the occasional sipping of water.

"How was school today?" Taiyang asked.

After Blake set her cup down, she gave Yang a smirk. "Yang got an A on a test."

To hide, Yang covered her face with her hands and sank in her seat. The inevitable booming praise was to come-

"Yang!" Taiyang beamed a smile and dropped his fork. "That's fantastic! It was in physics, right?" he asked, which earned a nod. "I'm so proud of you! Physics was never my best subject and I know it gave you trouble, too. Way to kick some ass! That's what I'm talking about!"

Whenever the three girls, did well in school, Taiyang would go off on a doting rant. It was almost like a punishment. Taiyang held out his hand, and slowly, Yang high-fived him.

"You don't look excited," Taiyang observed.

Yang went back to picking at her salmon. "I am, it's just you always over-do it."

"Can you blame me?!" Taiyang beamed. "My kids are the smartest!"

Thinking on her feet, Ruby cut in. "We got ice cream today."

To go along with it, Yang commented. "It was soooo good. Especially on a hot day like today."

Silently, Yang mouthed, _thank you_ to her little sister.

"Why didn't you get me any?" Tai asked, feigning a mock gasp.

After Blake swallowed a bite, she replied. "It would've melted. It's been hot lately."

"Just giving you crap," Taiyang laughed.

Curiously, Yang poked a piece of fat she found in her salmon. When she was done cutting it off, she asked her father. "What'd you do today?"

"Ah, the usual. Walked Zwei, washed the dishes, ate some chocolate I shouldn't have," Taiyang listed. "I've been trying to cut back," he patted his belly.

Blake's cat ears flickered. "You say as you eat some toast."

In a fluster, Taiyang set the toast down. "Carbs get me every single time."

"And ice cream," Ruby pointed out.

"Just let me live my life!" Taiyang yelped, roles seeming like they were reversed with his kids.

The three girls faintly giggled from the sudden outburst. There were a few moments of silence beside the sounds of chewing lingering in the air. Jokingly, Ruby slurped her water while staring directly at her dad. Blake and Yang almost giggled again, and Taiyang gave her an annoyed look.

He _hated_ when she did that.

"How're your friends?" Taiyang broke the silence. "Like Jaune? He's a great guy. The blonds are always the best."

From that, Yang grinned broadly. "Damn right we are. Although, he's still awkward."

"What's wrong with that?" Ruby asked. "I'm kinda awkward."

"There's nothing wrong with being awkward," the blonde replied. "Besides, people who know they're awkward usually aren't awkward. People who don't know are doomed. Awkward is adorable on you, Rubes."

After Blake nibbled on her toast, she chimed. "I-I second that," it was hard to fight the blush that wanted to be on her cheeks.

"How are your other friends?" Taiyang asked. "Like Weiss? She hasn't been here in a while."

Ruby rearranged her food to make it look like she ate more than she actually did. She didn't look up from her plate when she spoke, seemingly downcast. "She's been busy."

"She needs a break if ya ask me," Yang mentioned, grumbling a bit thinking about how her friend needs to not overwork herself.

Taiyang nodded in understanding. "She's got a good head on her shoulders. Did you invite her over tonight?"

"Yes," Blake answered. "This and ice cream."

"At least you tried," Taiyang conceded with a shrug. "She's like my fourth daughter. Be sure to watch out for her."

Officially, Blake was done with her food and set the fork down. "That doesn't need to be said."

Ruby and Yang nodded in agreement after they wiped their faces with napkins.

"Everyone finished?" Tai asked.

"Yep," Yang answered for them and popped the 'p' in the process.

Like a tornado, Ruby swept up all the dishes and headed to the sink. She was about to wash them off, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Let me handle this," Taiyang said, walking over to deal with the dishes himself. "Any class with Port is a long day."

Ruby couldn't help but laugh and gave in. "Alriiiiiight."

With that, Ruby was free to do as she pleased.

Her older sister Yang had already vanished. Probably went to the basement to box again. The blonde always liked to get a good workout after dinner. Ruby would join her, but the last time the two sparred she ended up with a bruised face. Of course, Yang was apologetic, but Ruby felt it was better to not get involved again.

Ruby was wondering if she should go to her room, but was pleasantly surprised to see that Blake was in the living room. Normally, the faunus would go read alone in her room after dinner. The television was still on, but she was absorbed in a book already. She was reading in a common area, so Ruby felt free to approach her. Especially since she allowed the little corgi to curl up in her lap.

"Can I join?" Ruby asked somewhat nervously.

With a smile, Blake replied. "Go ahead."

Giddily, Ruby sat next to her. Their bodies were touching, which caused them to blush. Unintentionally, Blake let out a content purr. This caused Ruby to almost gasp.

It wasn't often that she purred!

It was known that Ruby wasn't a quiet person, but she was always respectful when Blake was reading. Which is why she didn't try to start any conversation. Even in their previous exchange, she could easily tell Blake wasn't actually listening and in whatever world her book created.

Every now and then, Ruby skimmed the pages, but she wasn't able to keep up with Blake's pace. Blake was a fast reader, so Ruby eventually stopped trying to 'beat' her and ended up watching television instead.

Although she would've liked to enjoy the story with her, Ruby was perfectly content to be this close to her.

It was warm…

So warm.

* * *

At last, Weiss finished her assignments for the night.

To work off some steam, she resided in her training room.

As far as the eye could see, there was white, white, and whiter. Despite the bright atmosphere, Weiss felt as though this place, her home, was a never-ending abyss. It was actually dark, and the white was a lie. Everything here- from the tiniest glimmer to the luxurious carpet, to the sparkling walls, even to the extravagant bathrooms- was overbearing.

At least this room gave her privacy. No one was able to point out the flaws in her fencing ability. Practicing swordplay was one of the few positive aspects of her day besides school.

For once, she wished the demons were here so she'd at least have something to stab. Something to practice with while simultaneously ridding the world of pests. It would be a win-win, but no, demons never ventured close to her home. They resided in her school. Everywhere but her home. The one place she wanted them to be.

That was even more irritating. Why would the demons go out of their way to avoid her mansion? Was there something they didn't like? A smell? The flaunting of wealth? Then again, she couldn't blame them. If she had a choice, she'd never come near this place, either.

Here, she had to use her imagination. Tightly, she gripped the rapier and poised it. Where would her opponent strike next? Was she leaving any open spots? Should she guard or strike?

For several minutes, she practiced swordplay and defensive stances. Every now and then, she thrust her thin sword in agile motions as if there was an attacker in front of her.

While practicing, her thoughts kept circling back to Winter.

Winter was the reason Weiss' swordplay ability was advanced. If her sister didn't teach her, Weiss was positive she'd still be an amateur.

She wondered how her beloved sister was doing. How the military was treating her. Weiss couldn't blame her for wanting to get out of their home. As an added bonus, Winter was out of the country. She couldn't be further away. She wished Winter was here. Just to talk to someone or spare with her again. It'd been a couple of years since she'd seen her in person.

Whenever Weiss was home without Winter, which was always, she felt like she was dwelling in the silence.

Shortly, she took a break. The air was cold.

Not wanting to shiver, Weiss went back to practice.

However, her attention was elsewhere. The whole time she was thinking of Winter. She wondered if she was receiving her letters. Then again, Winter was busy in the other country. It'd take a lot of precious time to read it, write a reply, and send.

The slamming of the door snapped her out of her thoughts. Reluctantly, Weiss lowered her rapier and turned around. She was somewhat surprised and annoyed by the guest.

"Whitley," Weiss greeted somewhat irritatingly.

He of all people knew she despised being interrupted from her activities. Especially fencing.

"Hello, dear sister," Whitley replied sarcastically. "Still working on your barbaric fencing, I see."

While scowling, Weiss crossed her arms. "What do you want?"

"I'm here to deliver a message."

"Klein can do that."

Weiss preferred Klein over her brother any time.

"He's busy making crepe," Whitley informed with a wave. "And my room is on the way here, anyway."

Weiss sighed to show her displeasure. "What is it?"

"Father needs a word," he said with a smug smile.

That couldn't be good.

The room was slowly drawing in on her. It was confining, suffocating...

It was cold.

* * *

 **Blake lives with Ruby, Yang, Taiyang, and Zwei? And is family? Whaaat? You'll know why eventually! I used some lyrics from White Light by Amalee. "Dwelling in the silence."**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	3. A Curse of Fate

"I'm just saying, pineapples on pizza is the best," Yang stated.

Ruby cringed from the mere thought. "Ew! That's gross!"

"Have you ever tried it?" the blonde asked, not backing down. "If not, you're not allowed to have an opinion."

"I'm with her," Blake chimed and pointed to Ruby.

"Blake!" Yang sounded betrayed. "Not you, too!"

"Pineapples are disgusting," Blake stated. "Putting that on pizza is nothing short of disturbing."

Yang shook her head in defeat. Noticing her short friend hadn't chimed in on the debate, she gently elbowed Weiss in the side.

"Princess, I know we have our differences, and you love to argue with me, but agree with me just this once!"

Weiss let out a short huff and crossed her arms. "You want me to say I like pineapples on pizza?" she asked, which earned a nod. "You think I even like pizza?"

"Of course…" Yang mumbled. "Only you couldn't like pizza."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Weiss asked, her tone getting defensive. "Pizza is nothing but grease."

Dramatically, Yang spread her arms out and sunk to her knees. "No!"

"Our side wins!" Ruby cheered, pumping her fist in the air triumphantly. "It's decided. Pineapples on pizza is nasty!"

Fondly, Blake set a hand on her shoulder. "Only you can get excited by something as trivial as this."

"Can you blame me?" Ruby asked. "I lost the last debate when Yang insisted that white chocolate was better in cookies over regular chocolate!"

Weiss gave her a curious look. "I thought you liked both?"

"I do, but regular chocolate takes the cake every time!" Ruby exclaimed. "It's not rocket science, Yang!"

Blake just playfully rolled her eyes. "Everyone knows white chocolate isn't real chocolate."

"Thank you!" Ruby chirped. "See? I'm not crazy."

Slowly, Weiss leaned into Yang's ear. She made sure to be close since other student's chatters were loud and echoed through the halls. The sound of lockers shutting rang out along with the zipping of backpacks.

"How many cookies has she had today?"

The gentle breeze from her mouth caused Yang to almost blush. She fought back the involuntary trait and whispered.

"Two so far, aaaand a glass of milk."

"I suppose that's progress."

Yang shrugged. "It's somethin."

The school bell chimed. It'd been passing period until that point. The various chatters of the school died down as students headed to their next classes. Multiple lockers slammed shut and the halls warped to near silence in mere seconds.

"Come on, princess," Yang said. "We only have two minutes to get to class."

"Since when are you worried about being tardy?" Weiss asked, after adjusting her backpack.

"Believe it or not, I care about my education sometimes."

Weiss gave her a look.

"Sometimes," the blonde clarified with a grin.

Together, the four headed to class. By now, most of the hallway was cleared, albeit there were a few scattered students.

The girls had almost made it to the door, when suddenly, Weiss tripped forward. The fall was so unexpected that she almost face-planted. Multiple gasps sounded, but instead of the harsh marble floor, she was caught by strong, supportive arms.

"Woah there," Yang said hastily, keeping a tight grip around Weiss' arm. "You okay?"

While she was still dangling just above the ground, Weiss glared down at the floor.

Bingo.

The trail of slithering black next to her feet confirmed her suspicions.

 _A snake demon tripped me,_ Weiss realized. _They're getting mischievous lately. First the bird cozzies up to me on my shoulder, and now this? Why do they keep coming into contact with me? They're normally good about keeping their distance._

The dim black snake lurked across the floor like it didn't even touch her and seemed to mind its own business. Like nothing happened. This caused Weiss to almost growl.

 _Pests._

"I'm fine," Weiss regained her balance with the help of Yang and dusted herself off. "Thank you."

"No problem," Yang replied happily. "What'd you trip on, air?"

To spare her some embarrassment, Ruby chimed in. "She was checking gravity, duh."

"It malfunctioned," Blake added on to the teasing.

That made Weiss feel a little better. At least no one saw that slip-up besides her friends. She was sure she'd get an earful if say, Nora was to see that.

It was relieving that the girls could laugh it off as they entered the classroom. It was in the lecture hall with professor Port, so no one was in a hurry to get there. Most of the seats were taken, so the girls had to split up in pairs.

Not long after they sat down and pulled out their belongings, the bell for class to start rang. On cue, professor Port began another tale of bravery, a story that caused some people to fall asleep.

The whole time, Weiss couldn't focus on the story. Not that she had to, but she _wanted_ to.

For once in her life, she felt the demons were a threat to her well-being. The demon snakes curled around door handles. The ominous wolves howled and fought with another just in front of Port as he paced around the room. It was difficult to keep her eyes on him over the sparring demons. Not to mention, the blackbirds glided along the ceiling rafters and made constant, annoying squawking noises.

The classroom was starting to feel more like a cursed zoo.

 _Will they soon be a threat?_ Weiss shook her head. _No, they're already a threat. I can purify them, but not with so many people around. I have to do what I've always done. Ignore them. There's nothing I can do right now._

It was even more difficult to ignore the demons when a few wolves howled. The screech pierced the air more than the demon birds' squawks. In response, Weiss closed her eyes and blocked her ears to escape the irritating sounds.

What caught Yang's attention was when she deeply exhaled to compose herself.

"You okay, Weiss?" she whispered.

After that, Weiss opened her eyes and let go of her ears. She set her hands in her lap.

"Just a little tired."

* * *

 _Flashback… yesterday..._

"Yang," the man greeted. "Is there something on your mind?"

"It might be nothing… I could be worrying about nothing."

"It's about one of your friends, is it not?"

Despite the sacristy of the temple, Yang replied with her natural gusto. "Nothin' gets by you, huh?"

"My job wouldn't suit me if I couldn't read my students."

"Ozpin, it's Weiss," Yang confided. "She's been acting strangely lately. I have an idea why. It could be stress or-"

Ozpin interjected before she could finish. "You have your school life to worry about as well, after all."

"You're tellin' me," the blonde replied.

"You may have other obligations, but be sure to take care of your friends. Be vigilant and watch out for her. In the past, your instincts have never failed."

"No need to tell me twice."

 _End of flashback..._

* * *

Finally, the last bell rang. School was officially over for the day.

Before going home, the girls were chatting amongst themselves by their lockers. Their lockers were conveniently in a pod area, and all four were right next to each other.

When Weiss was done packing her assignments, she shut her locker and giddily turned toward Yang with a smile.

"Oh, I know that face," Yang said knowingly.

"Why, whatever do you mean?"

Yang lightly chuckled. "That's your 'I'm thinkin' about Zwei' face."

"Tell him I said, 'you're such a good boy. Such a gooooood boy,'" Weiss drawled. "Drag out the 'good' part, he loves that, and make sure he knows it's from me, understand?"

The only time Yang had seen her act so sweet and innocent was when her dog was on her mind. Whenever Zwei crossed her thoughts, Weiss never failed to smile. Yang wished she'd smile more often.

She looked kinda cute…

"Understand?" Weiss repeated.

That snapped her out of it. Unknowingly, Yang adorned a blush. "You're in love with him."

"Am not," she pouted.

"Please," Yang huffed. "Every time you see him or even think about him, you turn to mush."

Suddenly, Blake grabbed Yang by the shoulders and shook her. "Just tell him he's a good boy!"

"Oh god, alright, alright!" Yang conceded with a sigh. "I will, but you can do it yourself, you know."

"He's such a good boy that even Blake likes him," Weiss stated, which caused Blake's cat ears to flicker.

Ruby placed a hand on Blake's back. "That's right, he even captured your heart! And you said you hate dogs."

There was a silence. Besides other students chatting and the lockers slamming. Besides the occasional demon howl Weiss could hear. Besides the cluttering of books.

"Someone else captured my heart first…" Blake silently said to herself, trying not to look at Ruby while saying it.

This caused Ruby to tilt her head in confusion like an adorable puppy. "Huh?"

A blush. A deep contrast to Blake's normally pale face.

Yang watched the pair with calculating eyes. To save them some embarrassment, she swooped in and grabbed the red hood under Ruby's uniform. Without warning, she started to drag her away.

"C'mon, Rubes. I found a vending machine that has cookies in it."

"Yang, wait! I wanna talk to Blake and W-ah!"

There was no stopping Yang. She was too strong, so Ruby resigned to her fate and let her sister drag her through the animated halls, but that didn't mean she wouldn't put up a fight. Blake and Weiss could only watch the skeptical with wide eyes as the red hooded girl flailed around.

Ruby's yelps echoed throughout the entire school.

Weiss rolled her eyes as she held her hand against her forehead. "Remind me, why do I associate with you people?"

Amber flicked to azure. "Because you love us."

There was no denying that. Despite Weiss' icy exterior, her friends melted some of that shell.

"Accurate."

* * *

To rid the stress of the rising demons, Weiss went to practice the piano in the school's music room.

In the school, the piano was located in a room attached to the theater. Sometimes, Weiss reserved the area so she could get some alone time and fully enjoy herself. It was true she had her own piano at home, but she didn't like practicing there. It was constricting. Suffocating. At school like this, she could play any song she chose and also have privacy. Besides singing, this is how she liked to relax.

After she sat at the grand piano, she noticed the room was practically covered in demons. There were so many that the room almost emitted an ominous aura, but that didn't scare her. She always felt at peace in this room, no matter how many demons there were.

The demons weren't doing anything noteworthy. Mainly just doing their own thing like playing around on the stage or perched atop the ceiling rafters. A demon snake tail dangled out of the vent. Since they weren't contacting her, Weiss was free to play to her heart's content.

She chose a gloomy song, almost weeping. The notes melted into the air and mixed with the eerie atmosphere. The beautiful melody danced and reverberated through the vast room. The demons didn't seem to mind it. Quite the opposite. It was a sad resonance and Weiss allowed herself to get lost in the song. She was absorbed into the music as her fingers produced magic on the tinkling piano.

For a moment, it felt like she and the piano became one-

-until a demon wolf dropped on the keys.

This created one of the most god awful noises she'd ever heard. It was almost worse than the sound of scratching a chalkboard. Almost. The combination of the deep keys and cursed yelps sent her on edge.

 _That's it!_

She'd had it. There were too many demons lately. Too many that had harassed her by this point. This was the final straw. In a fury, she stood and grabbed the demon wolf before it could scamper away. Muffled howls filled the room, a stark comparison from the previous melancholic melody.

"You can mess with me, but when you mess with my music, that crosses the line."

She tightened her grip on the demon. With frustration overcoming her, she closed her eyes and let the waves crash. Her emotions fueled the white light. It was pure, unlike the darkness the demons in the room emanated. Since her emotions sparked the purifying light, it was more powerful than normal.

Instead of purifying the one demon wolf, the bright light engulfed the entire theater. It was so blinding that Weiss kept her eyes closed. In a mere second, every single demon faded as they were consumed by the light.

 _They're gone..._

It was finally quiet. So peaceful.

A light smile formed.

A rush of exhaustion made her extremely dizzy, which caused her to sway.

 _Purified... too many..._

Her vision shifted out of focus before going black. Instead of the harsh wooden floor, she was met with a pair of strong, supportive arms. Her vision was black, but she could tell this scent belonged to one person. An aroma she was fond of, but would never admit.

"-ss? -eiss? -ou okay?"

Gradually, the ringing in her ears dulled, her vision shifted back to focus, and she blinked hazily. Her savior adjusted her and slowly tilted her upright.

"Yang," Weiss called, but it came out feeble due to her weakened state.

"Yeah, it's me," Yang said softly as she gazed down at her. "Are you okay? Are you tired?"

As Weiss fought the dizziness, she swallowed hardly. "How long have you been here?"

There was a stretch of silence. As if Yang was debating what to say.

"Long enough."

* * *

 **This chappy title refers to the song Cross the Line from Izetta the Last Witch.**

" **It's a dream that's been warped by sadness. 'A curse of fate' and absurdity, endless."**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**

… **pineapples on pizza is actually delicious, btw**


	4. The One and Only Has Come

**Heeeello, the pairings have been updated. If you're _genuinely_ surprised, what even are you? P.S. I'm in Iceland! It's not that icy… the puffins are cute tho.**

* * *

"Long enough," Yang whispered.

From the comment, Weiss unintentionally shot out of her arms and hastily stood. When she was on her feet, she swayed precariously. She almost forgot that she was drained from using her purification ability earlier. Quickly, Yang steadied her by placing a firm hand on her shoulder and one around her waist.

"Do you need the nurse? I can take you there."

Weakly, Weiss shook her head. "I'm okay. Thank you, Yang."

"That's the third time I caught you today," Yang pointed out. "You could say I have even better reflexes than Blakey."

"I wouldn't go that far."

"Course, no one can beat the ninja kitty."

After Weiss nodded, Yang realized she was still holding her. Both girls blushed from the close contact, and the blonde released her. There was a comfortable silence that followed.

"What were you doin' earlier? Before the song," Yang asked, trying to break the silence.

 _She was watching me?_ Weiss thought. _Did she see my purification ability? No, that's impossible. Normal humans can't even see demons._

"I was simply…" Weiss paused, searching for the right word. "... stretching."

 _Idiotic excuse. It probably looked like I was talking to myself earlier. She must think I'm insane._

Yang nodded. Not only to agree, but to show her there was no doubt in what she said. It was stern as Yang placed her hands on her hips with a broad grin. It was clear she was internally debating what to say, so Weiss could only look at her, expectant.

"Mhm," the blonde hummed in amusement. "I _would_ buy that if I couldn't see them, too."

All signs of Weiss' poker face faded. Azure orbs that were previously fatigued sparked with recognition. Yang said that so casually it was ridiculous.

 _Does she know about..._

"You- you can see them?" Weiss tried to speak without stammering, but she was still processing what she said.

"Yeah," Yang admitted, bashfully rubbing the back of her head. "Grimm can be annoying. Especially small ones like that. I don't know why, but they like bothering you. I'm really glad you purified all of them. I've never seen anything like it! One moment, all the grimm are there being stupid and the next, they're gone!"

"Grimm?" Weiss wanted to clarify. In the back of her mind, she wondered how Yang knew about purification.

"That's what I call 'em," the blonde stated with a shrug. "The little grimm have infested our school like it's their nest."

"There are bigger versions of these... grimm?" all Weiss could do was stare, intimidated by the thought. "You refer to the demons as grimm?"

"Oh yeah, there's lots of bigger ones. Trust me, those are _not_ demons," the blonde informed and sheepishly rubbed her arm. "Just be glad they aren't, otherwise, we'd have to evacuate the whole school. That'd be such a pain."

 _She knows? She knows more about them than me._

"Let me get this straight," Weiss stated sternly. "You see those little wolf demons, birds, and snakes as well?"

Yang nodded. "Grimm. We can go over the types later, but the short version is yes. I've been able to see 'em for about a year now."

"So you knew that snake tripped me?" Weiss pointed out, annoyed as she recalled the moment.

Visibly, Yang flinched. "Yeeeeeah. That little taijitu was an ass. Almost punched its lights out. You could've gotten hurt."

"Taijitu?

 _There are names for specific kinds? How does she know all of this?_

The blonde sent her that sunny smile. "Ah, that's what I call the snake grimm."

"How do you know so much?" Weiss asked, feeling like there's more to the story than she's letting on. "You're the most boisterous and extroverted person I've met, so how you kept this a secret for a year is beyond me."

"Your praise flatters me, princess."

Weiss huffed. "Would you take this seriously for once in your life, brute?"

"I'll explain things when we get there," the blonde stated with a smile. "There's someone you have to meet."

"Who?"

"Come with me," with that, Yang held out her hand.

It was clear Weiss was hesitant to accept the gesture. "Why?"

"You sure ask a lot of questions," Yang teased.

"Can you blame me? This is all so eye-opening for me," Weiss realized. "What's worse, you're the one who opened them."

Yang dramatically placed a hand over her chest like she'd been shot. "She won't even admit I'm her savior!"

Weiss gave her a stern look.

"C'mon, princess, do you really think I'd do anything to hurt you? What do you take me for?"

"Of course you wouldn't, but can you at least tell me where we're going?" Weiss requested.

"You'll just have to see," Yang held out her hand. To which Weiss just stared and kept her arms crossed. "Do you want the grimm to leave you alone or not?"

A tempting offer. One that Weiss knew she couldn't refuse. Recently, the grimm have been acting mischievous, and she had no idea why. Yet, Yang had an answer?

"That's possible?"

"Your purification power needs to be enhanced is all," Yang stated firmly. "Grimm will never bother you again. Well, not all grimm, but definitely the little, weaker ones. They would fear your very presence, even though I sometimes do."

"Hey!"

"My point is that they'd leave you alone if you come with me. Let me help you."

"What's in it for you?" Weiss asked, still staring at her empty hand.

"Your well-being," Yang instantly replied.

This elicited a blush from Weiss, which caused Yang to blush as well.

"A-am I not allowed to care for my friends?" the blonde asked. "Jeez, you make it sound like I have some ulterior motive."

"Why do I feel as though I'm a child and you're trying to lure me in your van with promises of sweets?" Weiss asked, teasing present.

It was then that Yang lowered her voice. "Get in the trunk, Schnee."

Faint giggles.

After laughing, Weiss placed her hand in Yang's own.

* * *

"Brute," Weiss addressed. "You still haven't told me where we're going-"

Within moments, the sacred building appeared before them. It was the temple that stood proudly on a small hill and was hidden behind a tree line. The sacred temple adorned a roof that curved upward and was coated in layers of white stones. From the sunlight, the temple glowed and emitted its own aura.

To Weiss, this building was straight out of ancient times. It was absolutely breathtaking.

"You know this place?" Weiss asked Yang, who had a big smirk.

"I can be full of surprises!" Yang gave her a wink.

"That has definitely proved to be true today," Weiss admitted. "You still haven't told me how you know about grimm and this place."

"Hold your horses. I'll tell ya after we fix you up! That's top priority right now."

"'Fix,'" Weiss quoted somewhat irritatingly. "Like I'm some broken machine?"

"You know I think you're the most wonderful princess in all the land," the blonde teasingly replied, which earned a blush. "You also know, since you're not stupid, what I meant."

Red arches scoured the walkway in a row. Each beamed under the sun's gentle rays. The two entered the walkway and enjoyed the serene environment. The birds sang, the leaves were vibrant green, and there was the occasional breeze. It was a beautiful day.

"You're right."

"Yes!" Yang pumped her fist in the air with victory. It was rare when Weiss admitted she was wrong. Even more rare to admit that Yang was correct.

"Don't get used to it, you're still a brute."

"There she is!"

Playfully, Weiss elbowed her side. This earned a gentle shove. Besides their chatting, it was peaceful. Too peaceful. That's when Weiss realized there were no grimm in sight. Just normal birds that adorned various patterns, rather than the solid black she was used to.

"Grimm can't come within miles of this place," Yang mentioned, which eased her friend's nerves. "It's sacred. They'd vanish if they tried to come near."

"You're rather perceptive," Weiss observed. "I'd never expect that from you."

"You don't give me enough credit," Yang easily replied. "You have this 'thinking' face that you do. It's really cute, actually. It's when you scrunch it just a little and stare longingly in the distance."

Of course Yang would know that odd detail. She knew a lot of things about her lifelong friend. The idiosyncrasies Weiss would never even think about.

Weiss looked away to hide the crimson blush that was forming. When Yang tried to sneak a peek, she shoved her away.

"What's the matter? You flustered?"

"I'll have you reprimanded."

"Alright, alright, that's enough teasing for one day. I get it."

Just as Yang said that, the two stood in front of the magnificent white double doors. Based on the shining wood, Weiss definitely knew it was of the finest mahogany.

When Yang just stood there, Weiss gave her a look.

"Are you going to knock?"

"Nope."

It was then that Yang walked over to one of the lion guardian statues that had seen better days. She pressed down on the left lion's head. That button caused the double doors to slowly slide apart. Since the doors were so large, when they slid, the ground shook a little.

"That's one way to do it," Weiss gazed at the spectacle.

Without warning, Yang grabbed her hand and sent her a smile. "C'mon. He's waiting."

This time, Weiss didn't resist. She allowed her to lead her down the red carpet. It was hard not to get distracted by the ancient paintings along the walls. Or the magnificent chandelier dangling from the ceiling. Even the smell was old. Like aged wood. Despite the temple's age, it held together nicely.

The only sound in the temple was the thumping of their feet, and the doors sliding shut. This created an echo effect.

"It's beautiful," Weiss breathed.

"Right?" Yang agreed. "I've never gotten used to it. Every time I come here I find something new to appreciate."

It didn't take long to be greeted with the golden throne. As usual, the massive, golden chair was on top of a dozen clean wooden steps.

This structure in itself held beauty, but the golden throne put Weiss off. "This is a little extra."

"Right?!" Yang blurted. "That's what I said! He wouldn't listen."

It was then that an older man appeared from behind the sparkling chair. He held a cane and stood with poise as he made his way down the stairs.

"Thank you for your input, Ms. Schnee."

"Headmaster Ozpin?!" Weiss exclaimed and looked to Yang for answers. "What's going on?!"

"Oh, Oz," Yang waved him off. "There's no need to be so formal. Just call her ice queen."

"Hey!" the squeak from Weiss made Yang chuckle.

Ozpin ignored her jokes and looked to Weiss. "Do you prefer formalities or is your first name suitable?"

Weiss straightened and placed her hands behind her back. "Whichever you prefer, headmaster."

"Very well," Ozpin said. "Follow me, students. We're going to the ritual room."

"Ritual?" Weiss asked, not liking the idea.

"When the ritual is complete, Ms. Schnee, the weaker grimm won't contact you."

That comment eased her nerves entirely.

"What are we waiting for?"

"Atta girl," Yang grinned and playfully slapped her back.

Despite the obvious jest, Weiss scowled. "Don't do that, brute."

"Sorry, you must be nervous."

"So perceptive," Weiss remarked sarcastically.

The two followed their headmaster in silence. In an attempt to make Weiss less anxious, Yang announced.

"You know, some people spend their whole lives trying to gain purification powers. The princess here can purify grimm with no problem!"

Clearly, Ozpin was intrigued since it snuck in his voice. "Is this true?" he asked, looking over his shoulder at his students.

"You betcha!" Yang beamed. "She's somethin' else."

Listening to Yang boast about her powers caused another blush to form on Weiss' cheeks. "I can purify a certain amount before I grow tired. I've been doing this as a kid, so it's not very… impressive, so to say. It's just what I've been doing. I know it's not natural, but it's my natural."

There was something on Ozpin's mind as he opened a red wooden door to a secluded room.

"That's an interesting observation," Ozpin glanced at the two, mainly at Yang. "She's in good hands."

After Yang nodded, Ozpin unlocked the door and the three walked inside the dark room.

There was an enormous blue circle embedded in the wooden floor. All around, there were lit candles in intricate positions within some smaller circles. The candles coated the room, which created a pleasant aroma. Due to the brown wooden walls and floor, there was an added a ghostly effect.

Weiss was left speechless and looked to Yang for comfort.

"Reminds you of a cult, huh?"

"I'm convinced you led me here to be murdered."

"It's tempting," the blonde sent a wink.

Weiss pointed at her accusingly. "I will have you reprimanded."

"Ladies," Ozpin interjected. "If you don't mind, I'd like to start soon. My coffee will be ready shortly."

"Oz, once again worrying about the important things," Yang smirked. "Alright, work your magic."

"Are you ready, Ms. Schnee?" Ozpin asked, crossing his arms behind his back as he patiently waited for an answer.

Weiss nodded firmly. "As ready as I'll ever be."

"This ritual will unlock your aura," Ozpin explained. "When that's achieved, your mere presence will repel most smaller grimm. Your hands, please."

Weiss placed her hands over his. Positioned like a game of red hands. From the mere contact, Ozpin's eyes widened. There was a surge of emotion that rushed through him. It was like a chilly beam that trickled into his bloodstream. It was calming, pleasant, even.

"Outstanding…" Ozpin murmured in amazement. "There's no doubt. You have the power of a priestess. The one and only has come."

"One and only?" Weiss questioned, raising an eyebrow at the headmaster. "Priestess?"

"Hold up," Yang interjected. "Being a priestess means you have a pure soul. Are you saying that Weiss is pure?"

"She may have a pure heart," Ozpin stated. "That in itself is rare."

 _Pure…_ Weiss thought. _That word doesn't suit me. Of all words..._

"Okay, okay, let me get this straight. You're saying Weiss Schnee of all people is pure?" Yang almost bursted into laughter from the mere thought, Weiss slowly growing more annoyed at her words.

"Her aura…" Ozpin was still in awe from the feelings it provoked in him.

"Quit being a bumbling brute!" Weiss snapped.

"He said 'pure', Weiss!" Yang exclaimed. "The only person I can think of who fits that word is Rubes." After Weiss sent her daggers, Yang finally calmed down. "I guess that explains why only you can purify the grimm."

"I'm ready any time now," it was clear Weiss wanted to get this over with.

"Very well," Ozpin stated.

To start the ritual, Ozpin tapped his cane twice in the center of the smaller circle. The candle lights flickered for a moment, and that's when he released her other hand. Knowing the drill, Yang followed him backward, so it was only Weiss who was in the middle of the large blue-outlined circle.

The blonde felt guilty she left her there all alone, but it'd be dangerous if more people stood in the ring during the process.

Somehow, Weiss remained composed as multiple white beams sprouted from the large circle. It was quite the spectacle when the beams began to dance all around her. In seconds, the multiple beams of light swirled around her small form and steadily increased in speed. It was like a whirlpool, and her side ponytail came undone in the process.

Despite the winds, Weiss remained still. She found herself savoring this moment. This feeling.

She was warm.

So warm…

The white beams halted and combined as one, then enshrouded her body to glow brilliantly. The sight was almost blinding and caused Yang and Ozpin to cover their eyes. They'd never seen anyone's aura so blinding, so white, and so pure as hers. The white engulfed the small room before it was sucked to the center of Weiss' chest and vanished.

The moment the light disappeared, Weiss fell hardly on her side. Yang gasped and rushed to check her over.

"H-hey!" Yang called, worry starting to wash over her. "Weiss? Weiss?"

When yelling didn't work, Yang gently shook her a few times. It was no use.

"She just completely passed out! You didn't tell me she'd get hurt!"

To calm her, Ozpin spoke with no doubt. With clarity. "To unlock her aura, I had to drain her energy. She'll wake up soon. She's not harmed, merely exhausted."

"Thank god," carefully, Yang adjusted the downed girl in her arms. She wrapped both hands around her back and used her arm to support her head.

A tiny silver locket slipped out of Weiss' uniform, having become loose and ruffled from the ritual. The little piece of jewelry was safely around her neck. The fragile chain was in place. Nothing was broken.

Curious, the blonde inspected it and held it in one hand with Weiss in the other. The silver locket adorned an intricate pair of engraved angel wings.

"I didn't know she wore this."

To see what his student was talking about, Ozpin knelt next to them.

To Yang's surprise, the gorgeous pendant was already unlocked and an item that was previously confined clinked on the floor.

With genuine disbelief, Ozpin grasped the small white shard and inspected it.

It was then that Yang tucked Weiss closely to her chest. Protectively. And leaned over his shoulder in utter bewilderment.

"It's a piece of the relic?! She has a relic!?"

* * *

 **Looks like Weissy is connected somehow~ The chappy title refers to Here- The Ancient Magus' Bride. "'The one and only has come' and there can only be one."**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	5. I Am Here

"It's a piece of the relic?! She has a relic!?"

The small, dull white shard glimmered from the candles in the dimly lit room. Ozpin cautiously held the relic as him and Yang stared in awe.

Naturally, Yang was confused as to how Weiss obtained a relic. Not to mention that she conveniently had it on her person. It must've been a habit to wear the locket around her neck.

"There's no doubt," Ozpin replied as he braced his knee. "This is one of the relics."

From hearing that, Yang held Weiss tighter as if she was protecting her from some unknown attacker. "This might explain why the grimm were bothering her."

"It's definitely a factor," Ozpin agreed, taking in the sight of the relic that he didn't believe he'd see anytime soon.

Despite them conversing, neither was gazing at the other. Both pairs of eyes were fixed on the fragile relic.

Yang took a deep breath as the shard sparkled slightly. "Do you know anything about this?"

Ozpin had to have an answer. He always did. The headmaster could figure anything out. Yang looked directly at him for guidance. To her surprise, it looked like Ozpin wasn't in such disbelief anymore.

Everything clicked for him. An epiphany abruptly popped into his mind.

The articles. The news reports. The interviews. The investigation.

A tragedy that occurred over a decade ago flooded his mind in tidal waves.

"I knew her mother," Ozpin revealed.

From that, Yang was stunned into silence. Lilac orbs fixed on the girl's resting face. In all her years of knowing Weiss, family was the subject she avoided at all costs. Not once did Weiss mention her mother. She only mentioned Winter a couple of times, and she had nothing but fond things to say about her.

Now that Yang thought about it, she didn't know about her family life at all.

When Winter moved to Atlas to be stationed in the military, it was obvious to Weiss' friends that she had a difficult time coping. And she didn't speak to them about it, no matter how hard they pressed. Eventually, Ruby, Blake, and Yang stopped. They let her know they were there for her. That was all they could do.

The blonde swallowed the bile stuck in her throat. "You knew her mother before she died?"

That's really all Yang knew about Weiss' mother. That she was no longer alive. She didn't know what she looked like. She didn't even know her name. Weiss hadn't mentioned her a single time. The only reason why Yang even knew her mother was deceased was because she accidentally stumbled upon an old newspaper article.

 **Heroic mother died in a house fire- after she tossed her baby from a window**

Weiss didn't tell her friends about it. They randomly found it while browsing online. The only reason they knew she was connected was when they realized the woman's last name was 'Schnee.' They assumed the baby in the story was, in fact, Weiss since at the time, Winter was a teenager, not a child. Since she was dodgy about the topic, her friends stopped questioning her.

"Willow was my dear friend over a decade ago," Ozpin stated. "It's solely because of her that Weiss survived."

"So Willow's her name…" Yang mumbled, processing his words. "It's pretty."

"Willow was an angel," Ozpin explained, silently sighing to himself, wishing he could've been there for her.

He experimentally placed the relic in Weiss' limp hand. Immediately, a white light roared like it didn't want to be ignored. The two had to cover their eyes from the sudden brightness.

"Holy shit…" Yang couldn't help but curse. The vibrant glow was all she needed to be convinced that Weiss was the daughter of an angel. "It's not odd to say that Weiss isn't at least part angel."

"Precisely," Ozpin confirmed. "Willow guarded the piece of the relic and her child with her life. It's thanks to her efforts that they're both here right now."

Again, Yang swallowed the bile in her throat. She couldn't imagine what the tragedy was like. No wonder Weiss never talked about it. Yang's stomach twisted in a knot from the mere thought.

 _What have you been through…? What other things don't I know?_

"You think she-?"

Ozpin nodded as if he read her mind. "Before Willow died, she must've wrapped the locket around her daughter before throwing her out the window of her burning home. She protected both of her treasures that day. A truly miraculous woman."

"That must've been horrifying…" Yang felt the tears spill over as she gazed down at her. "No wonder why she wears it… It's precious to her… maybe the only thing she has left of her mom…"

 _I wish you would talk about this with me,_ Yang thought, brushing the white bangs away from her face. The candle lighting caused the white hair to shimmer. _My mom's gone, too. You're not alone. Even though you try to be._

At that moment, Yang made a vow with herself.

 _I will be there for you. No matter what. I swear it._

"Ms. Schnee is the light we need," Ozpin stated, which snapped her out of her thoughts. "Be sure to let her know that she's free to join us on our mission if she so wishes."

"But-" Yang tried to protest, but was cut off by the headmaster.

"It's up for her to decide, wouldn't you agree?"

Yang sighed heavily. "That doesn't change the fact that what we're doing is dangerous."

"Indeed, however, she would prove to be beneficial and make the process much easier and less tedious," Ozpin informed. "Now that I've unlocked her aura, she'll have more burning questions."

Sadly, Yang gazed back down at Weiss' resting face. She bit her bottom lip in frustration, but ultimately knew he was right. For one, her friend was stubborn. When she finds out what Ozpin and her are up to, she'd want to join no matter what. And nothing would stop her.

"For now, I'd suggest you take her to the guest room and reflect."

With that, Ozpin used his cane to stand. Being uncharacteristically silent, Yang carefully grabbed the relic and adjusted Weiss to a bridal carry. When she was standing, a firm, yet gentle hand was placed on her shoulder.

"I understand your worries, but you must have faith in her," Ozpin suggested. "Her will is strong. Perhaps stronger than yours."

Yang believed that. From the little tidbits she does know about her friend, she figured she was strong-willed. Defiant. If the blonde knew the whole picture about Weiss' past, she was sure she'd be blown away.

"Alright," Yang conceded.

After nodding, Ozpin left the room and the door shut. He was probably going to get his coffee. The man couldn't go two hours without a sip.

Despite the room being lit by dozens of candles, the atmosphere was dark and dreary. Probably because Yang was so nervous about the girl in her arms. Wait, girl in her arms? She almost forgot that she was holding her.

 _She's so tiny._

It was odd to be this close to her since Weiss was never a fan of physical contact. Yang figured she might as well savor the moment since one like this probably won't happen again.

Fighting the blush from her cheeks, Yang took her leave. She didn't mind the fire hazard. Ozpin would probably go back to check on things later.

The guest room wasn't far, just down the hall. Only her footsteps echoed through the temple. The wooden floor occasionally creaked. The walls were decorated with ancient art, but some sections were barren and dry. She wished Ozpin would let her spice up the place a bit. The smell was overwhelmingly of dry wood. Maybe he'd let her plug in a scentsy.

When Yang felt a bone poke her skin, she adjusted Weiss. _Her ribs are attacking me._

At last, she made it to the single red door. After it squeaked open, Yang shut it and turned on the lights. Gently, she placed Weiss in a single bed and pulled up the covers. She was cold. She was always cold. Because of that, Yang tucked her in, making sure no skin was exposed to the outside world.

There was nothing for her to do besides wait for her to wake, so Yang pulled up a chair next to the bed. A few minutes went by and she felt like a creep just watching her sleep, or wait for the barest twitch of her brow. So she decided to inspect the opened silver locket.

 _Such gorgeous angel wings._

Yang was entranced by the design. She gently rubbed her thumb over the engraved image. Her eyes were soon fixated on the relic in her other hand.

 _I can't believe I didn't know anything about this. Really anything about her. Does she not trust me enough to tell me about her past? Maybe it's too painful for her to talk about._

After fiddling with the locket, Yang set it in her lap.

 _This is special to her. Maybe I shouldn't touch it._

A weak groan filled the air, which pulled her out of her thoughts. Weiss stirred a little and her eyes flinched a few times. To coax her awake, Yang leaned in and called out to her.

"Weiss? Weiss? Wake up, sleepy head."

At last, those pools of blue were revealed. There was obvious fatigue swirling in them.

"Yang…?"

From her tone, it was obvious she was confused as to where she was. The ceiling adorned intricate shapes and patterns.

"That's right, I'm here," Yang greeted softly. "You feelin' okay?"

Instead of replying, Weiss drew her hand up to her neck. Obvious panic struck her eyes. Her whole demeanor shifted as she shot up and her breathing hitched. She swayed a little, and Yang was there to help steady her.

"Easy, it's okay. I got it right here."

As proof, Yang allowed the silver locket to dangle from its thin chain.

Recognition and relief sparked in those blue eyes. "Thank goodness. Give it back to me, _please_."

 _Definitely means a lot to her,_ the blonde concluded.

"Relax, of course I will," without hesitation, Yang handed her the precious treasure.

Weiss sighed in relief when it didn't seem to be damaged, but it was-

"It's open? How? I could never open it."

Yang opened her hand, which revealed the relic. "Does this look familiar to you?"

"No, I've never…"

Weiss examined the dull white shard, but her vision shifted out of focus before she felt herself tipping to the side. The world was a dizzying haze as her eyes unintentionally fluttered shut.

Quickly, Yang dove forward and caught her.

"Hey, take it easy," she whispered. "There's no rush. Rest."

"You're lucky I'm too tired to reprimand you…" Weiss mumbled, battling to open her eyes.

A slight chuckle.

"Yeah, yeah," Yang said softly. "Keep up the tough guy act." Gently, Yang coaxed her to lay down on the soft mattress. "There we go. Snug as a bug in a rug."

From the comment, Weiss furrowed her brow as bleary pools of blue met the patterns on the ceiling.

"Do you want me to fill you in on more things or do you wanna sleep? Your choice."

Slowly, Weiss closed her eyes. "Tell me more. I'm listening."

"Okay, well, the little shard you saw was inside your locket."

"It was in my locket?"

"Yeah, here," carefully, Yang set the relic in her hand.

The moment it made contact with Weiss, the pale pallor sparked like electricity and shined brilliantly. The shard was white before, but now it was glowing so vibrantly it was mesmerizing and alluring.

"Woah…" Weiss breathed.

"It only glows like that when you touch it. Amazing, huh?"

To test that, Weiss set the small shard on the sheets. The moment she lost contact with it, the relic stopped glimmering and retreated to its dull white pallor. It looked like an ordinary piece of glass. Weiss was too fatigued to comment, but it was clear that this change intrigued her.

"Your aura is very pure," Yang remarked. "The glow proves that. The locket must've responded when your aura was unlocked. Which would also explain why you couldn't open it until now. You should try to close it when you're all rested up."

"What is it...? What's it called...?"

Yang could hear the exhaustion laced in her voice. It was laden with enervation. She was tired just from hearing it. She wouldn't be surprised if Weiss drifted off any moment.

"It's a relic," the blonde informed in a soft tone, almost like she was trying to coax Weiss to sleep. "Honestly, it's a long story and can wait until you recover. But what you should know for now is that your mom was an angel," she finished with a gentle smile.

"Mother…"

"That's right, your mom was somethin' else," Yang said as she softly held her hand. This caused her to blush. Maybe holding her hand would upset her, but Weiss didn't seem to mind it. In fact, she gingerly curled her fingers around Yang's own. "She loved you and trusted you enough to take care of her relic."

"Mom…"

Her voice was tinged with fatigue, but more prominent sadness. All Yang could think to do was squeeze her hand. To remind her that she was here. That she wasn't alone. When Weiss' fingers slowly uncurled, Yang was satisfied to know that she was in a much-needed slumber.

 _She's been through a lot today. She needs to rest. You don't have to handle this alone anymore._

 _I am here._

* * *

 **The chapter title refers to Here by Amalee.**

" **The one and only has come. And there can only be one. And at last 'I am here.'"**

 **Since Weiss has awakened her powers, she has 'arrived' in the New World. There is only one priestess and Yang is there for her. Aw, how sweet.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	6. Crimson Oath Deep In Her Veins

**RTX was amazing! If ya go next year, let me know!**

* * *

It was another normal day at Beacon Academy. Class was just dismissed, so currently, conversations flooded the school. Some students couldn't wait to go home and others stayed behind to talk with friends.

Multiple friends stood just in front of the row of lockers.

"Doctor Oobleck was more energetic than usual today," Nora said as she bounced with both feet, unable to stay still.

Playfully, Yang rolled her eyes. "Says you. How long has it been since you sipped Ozpin and Oobleck's coffee?"

Nora let slip an amused snort. "That's their fault for trusting me to be their coffee maker."

Ren almost smiled from the memory. "At least she doesn't make pancakes for them."

Jaune looked like he'd seen a ghost. His face was pale and he spoke robotically. "Batter... everywhere..." it probably took him five showers to get all the goop out of his hair.

"It was that bad?" Weiss asked.

Pyrrha casually placed a hand on her hip after a nod. "You had to see it to believe it."

Yang slightly adjusted her backpack strap that was on her shoulder. "It's never a good idea to leave Nora alone. Ever."

Blake smirked at her giddy orange-haired friend. "You never know what she'll do."

"Break people's legs!"

Weiss was not amused. "No, thank you."

With glee, Yang slung an arm around her shoulders. "You don't wanna brawl with Nora?"

Instead of forcefully shoving her away, Weiss gently swatted her off. "Against the arm wrestling champion? I'll pass."

"I've reigned supreme!" Nora announced to the heavens.

"That was so awesome!" Ruby chirped as she recalled the memory. She faced her sister with a grin. "I can't believe she beat you!"

Yang grit her teeth in frustration. "It was one time! I'm waiting for that rematch."

"Sometime next week," Nora accepted the challenge. "Just be ready to lose again," she finished with a smirk.

While Yang went off on a ramble as to why she'd win the next one, Weiss glanced around the halls and at her giggling friends.

All day, there were hardly any small grimm. The ones that were around fled when Weiss came near. It was exactly as Yang said. Since her aura was unlocked, the grimm were repelled and avoided her. It was like this all day. And it was... liberating.

Naturally, she was in a particularly good mood today as she laughed from one of Blake's off-handed sarcastic comments.

Thanks to Yang, she was well rested. The grimm didn't bother her like the pests they are. Her purifying ability was enhanced, and she learned more things about her mother.

Subconsciously, Weiss reached for the thin chain around her neck. Her silver locket was always hidden under her uniform, and she went out of her way to hide the chain as well.

She didn't answer any questions about the jewelry. If her father found out where the locket was from, oh, he'd sell it in a heartbeat.

Yang noticed Weiss graze her neck before adjusting her bag. The blonde softly smiled at her. It was obvious Weiss was in deep thought. She was making that face again.

She had burning questions.

 _I was too tired to ask Yang anything yesterday,_ Weiss thought. _I should pull her to the side when there's an opportunity_.

When Jaune, Nora, Pyrrha, and Ren took their leave, Yang faced Weiss. This was her chance.

"Wanna go to the library?"

"I know just the right table."

It felt as though the two could read each other's minds.

"Can we come?" Ruby asked. "I get the feeling you're plotting something."

Blake agreed. "Yang in a library? Someone pinch me."

"I read sometimes," the blonde defended.

"Comics don't count," Blake retorted.

There was a moment of silence as lilac clashed with amber.

Yang lowered her head in defeat. "Yeah, I got nothin.'"

"She admits it," Blake replied knowingly with a smirk.

"So we can't come with?" Ruby asked, cutting to the chase. "You two seem close lately."

It was true. All day, Yang had stuck to Weiss like glue. Perhaps to show her there was nothing to fear. Yang also pointed out the withering number of grimm hanging around. Oddly, Weiss didn't mind her constant presence. Somehow, the blonde managed to make the day even more enjoyable. More unpredictable. She made her feel safe.

"Yeah, right," Weiss said sarcastically. "Who could stand this brute?"

Yang acted offended. "Excuuuse me if I can't please the most uptight princess to ever live."

She held her hands on her hips, sending a glare to the blonde. "Are you insinuating that I'm high maintenance?"

"Woah, big words."

Something in Weiss snapped, but she wasn't going to entertain her comment. That was enough bantering for now. All Weiss wanted to do was ask her some questions. And she couldn't do that around other people. Quickly, she wrapped her arm around Yang, which caused the blonde to stiffen from the unexpected contact.

"She'll catch up with you guys later," Weiss said to Ruby and Blake. "Sorry, but I'm stealing her."

Yang grinned. "Sharing is caring."

As Weiss dragged her away, Ruby cupped her hands over her mouth. "Be back before dinner!"

One of Blake's cat ears twitched. "What was up with that?"

Ruby shrugged. "No idea."

Swiftly, Weiss pretended to go into the library and went back out. Of course, this confused Yang as they headed in the opposite direction.

"Hey, where are we goin'? I thought you wanted to talk in the library?"

"And risk people hearing us?" Weiss asked. "You know how curious Blake can be. And Ruby always tags along with her. Do you want them to find out?"

"Curiosity killed the cat..." the blonde mumbled.

Yang allowed her shorter friend to lead. She had a good point. During the brisk walk, Weiss' hand slid down and tugged on her sleeve, which caused her heart to skip a beat.

Not surprisingly, Weiss led her into the piano room. She had a spare key and unlocked the door before going inside. To be cautious, she locked the door again so no one could come in and listen.

"You have a key?"

"What can I say? Teachers love me."

"Such a suck up," Yang commented.

"Suck ups get perks," Weiss said, not at all affected from her comment.

"Good point," Yang replied, not at all surprised Weiss could do pretty much whatever she pleased in this school.

The pair walked down the pathway and climbed a few stairs and reached the wooden stage. In the center was the piano, where Weiss comfortably sat and glanced around.

After her eyes examined the area, they fixed on Yang and Weiss smiled.

"No grimm here, either. How pleasant."

 _Woah,_ Yang thought. _Not as pleasant as her smile. She should do it more often._

"Because you scare 'em to death," Yang laughed. "I can understand that."

Weiss gave her a look. **  
**  
Ignoring the glare, Yang fished around in her backpack. "Before I forget, here," she handed her friend a small packet of cookies. "Don't tell Rubes."

Weiss just stared at the food, skeptical.

"Take 'em."

"I don't like most sweets. Cookies included."

"Would you eat some please?" the blonde asked and flaunted them. "Your ribs attacked me yesterday. Do you eat enough? I'd feel a lot better if you ate some."

Blue orbs narrowed. "Unlike you, I don't need to eat truckloads of food to satisfy my hunger."

Yang was left disappointed and dipped her head in defeat. It was obvious to Weiss that she cared for her well-being. Truth is, everything that's happened lately had stressed her out, so she neglected to eat properly.

"However," Weiss continued and Yang perked up a bit. "I won't refuse a couple."

"Yes!" Yang pumped her fist in the air.

With that, Weiss held out her hand and accepted the treats. It'd been a while since she had a few cookies. Since she was a child.

Yang was more than happy to hand them to her. She opened the packet and then tapped the seat next to her. Yang joined her on the piano as her friend began to nibble on the delectable chocolate sweets.

"You like it?"

"It's not the worst thing in the world."

"That's the best I'll get, huh?"

"Yes, brute."

Nonchalantly, Yang leaned in with curiosity. "What burning questions does the princess have? Or maybe I should call you priestess from now on."

Instantly, Weiss pulled out the locket around her neck. Without a word, she activated her aura, and the locket glowed white before opening.

"Woah, it works! I was right!"

"For once," when the locket opened, the small, pale white shard fell out and she caught it. "You called this a relic?"

"A piece of it, yeah."

"It was my mother's?" Weiss wanted to clarify.

"Hers to guard," the blonde answered.

"And you need it?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"This feels like an interrogation," Yang joked. "Have mercy."

Weiss just gave her a look. Yang understood. No more games. At least not today. After Weiss carefully set the shard on the table, it retreated to its dull pallor.

Yang took a deep breath.

"Oz and I have been trying to hunt them down. A long time ago, he accidentally caused the original relic to shatter into five pieces. It spread all over."

"How did he shatter it?"

"He was in a fight with a half-demon called Cinder," Yang revealed. "The battle took a toll on both of them."

Weiss parted her lips slightly, but Yang beat her to it.

"Since Cinder is only half-demon, she wants the relic's full power. If she gets her hands on it, she can transform into a full fledged demon. She'd be more powerful that way. Unfortunately for her, Ozpin was guarding it and didn't let her win so easily. Although, now pieces of the relic are scattered all around who knows where."

Weiss nodded every now and then to show she was listening. "How did you get mixed up in this? It sounds like it's not your problem."

A deep sigh.

"What I'm about to say is for real," Yang warned. "Just let me explain before you ask more questions."

Weiss straightened up more if that was possible.

"Ozpin and I have been searching for them, but it's not just us. Glynda has been helping us track them, too."

Weiss remained silent, glad Yang allowed her to process her words.

"Ozpin is old. Really old," Yang revealed. "He's thousands of years old."

"Are you joking?"

Although Weiss asked that, there was an inkling feeling that told her she was telling the truth. After witnessing grimm, the white light, the relic, and ritual, Ozpin's true age was somewhat believable.

"I wish."

"Okay, go on."

"It's my job to retrieve them before Cinder does. If she gets ahold of the five pieces, we'd be in trouble. Oz only wants them back so he can finally be allowed to die since he was cursed. If I gather all the relics and destroy them, he'll get his wish."

"What's in it for you?"

"I made a promise," Yang stated.

She wouldn't betray the crimson oath that remains deep in her veins.

"I want to help him. Oz may be our headmaster, but he's a role model to me and I look up to him. Even though he can be complicated sometimes. Aaaand he has his quirks like everyone else. But it's also for Blake," Yang stated.

For some reason, Weiss' heart dropped.

"What does Blake have to do with any of this?"

"You know she lost her parents because of discriminatory pricks, right?" Yang asked, which earned a nod. "The bastards," her fists tightened. "I remember just hours after they were killed. Blake cried to me and Rubes that she wished she wasn't a faunus. She said that if they weren't, she'd still have her parents. I'll never forget that night."

Weiss dipped her head. She couldn't imagine what Blake must've been through. Sounds of wailing played in the back of her mind. Back then, she hadn't even met the three yet, so she wasn't able to be there for her friend.

"I found a way to make her wish come true if she still wants," Yang continued. "The relic can turn people into demons and faunus, but it can also turn a faunus into a human."

It was a nice sentiment, but Weiss had to point out a critical flaw.

"Have you thought that maybe she wouldn't choose to become human?"

"Of course," the blonde replied. "But if the relic can give her at least an option, I want her to chose. True, she may not even want to be human anymore since she's amazing the way she is, but the fact that it would be an option…"

"That's very thoughtful of you, Yang," Weiss said softly, giving the girl a reassuring smile.

Yang's grin made the compliment worth it. "Thanks."

For once, she didn't ruin the moment. Half of Weiss was expecting her to.

Despite the serene silence, a thought kept running in circles in Weiss' mind. Surely, Yang wouldn't risk her life for just anyone. She couldn't bite back the question.

"D-Do you have a crush on Blake?"

"What?!" Yang yelped, which caused her friend to flinch. "No way! She's a sister to me. I love her, but it's more in a family sense."

"I see..." Weiss murmured.

Why did her heart feel lighter?

For Yang, it was easy to sense her relief that washed over her. To tease her, she leaned in. "Huuuuh, why're you so interested? I knew you couldn't resist me."

"Enough," Weiss growled and fought the blush.

Before that banter could start, she wanted to shut it down.

Yang leaned back in satisfaction. She didn't deny it.

"Is Ruby tied into this?" Weiss asked, showing concern.

"No, it's too dangerous. I'd never let her."

Weiss nodded in understanding. "You mentioned the five pieces earlier. Cinder needs all five to become a demon?"

"Right," the blonde said. "I'll get 'em before she does."

With all her heart, Weiss wanted to join her on this journey. She knew all this information and didn't know what to do with it. Besides, give a helping hand. She could also use her purification ability. Rid the world of more grimm while simultaneously taking down a half-demon? And protect the things she loves? What could be better?

" _We'll_ get them," Weiss corrected. "Face it, you need me."

There was no doubt in her tone. Stern. Spoken with clarity. It was a pain to Yang that she knew that. She'd be an asset. She couldn't deny that. Weiss' abilities as a priestess would help immensely. It would be dangerous, but more safe overall if she had a partner to rely on.

"Someone's full of herself," the blonde smirked.

"Look who's talking."

"It'll be dangerous."

"I'll bring my rapier."

"Sold."

It was obvious Yang had no intentions of denying the request.

"So," Weiss began. "How many pieces of the relic do you have?"

Yang pointed to the shard on the piano.

"Great. Good start."

* * *

 **One down, four to go! What adventures will they get wrapped up in?**

 **The chapter title refers to the song Cross the Line by Amalee. "I will not betray the 'crimson oath that remains deep in my veins.'" Yang has a promise to keep.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	7. It's a Tough One

The cafeteria was full of animated chatter. Finally, it was halfway through the school day. All day, Yang and Weiss were on the edge of their seats. Mainly because this was the day that they'd be sent to uncover the second piece of the relic.

Because they wanted time to go faster, it felt like school lasted forever.

Classes have never been more boring. Especially considering that the two no longer saw a lot of small grimm lazing around. Weiss didn't want to admit it, but sometimes she liked to observe the grimm out of boredom.

At least lunch was more entertaining.

After Yang swallowed a bite of her roast beef sandwich, she looked to Ren. "PB and J again?"

That was his go-to lunch. She wondered if he ate anything else.

"It lacks nutrients, but the combination is delicious," Ren chirped.

"What do you mean 'again?'" Weiss pointed to Yang's food. "When was the last time you didn't eat meat for lunch?"

"What about you and those salads, huh?" the blonde retorted.

Weiss set down her fork and crossed her arms. "At least I don't eat cookies every day like a certain someone," she glanced to the side.

With her mouth full of sweets, Ruby dryly laughed and swallowed. She'd already finished her sandwich. "Cookies will always prevail!"

"Tuna's better," Blake commented.

"Tuna smells bad," Ruby said as she stared at her fishy sandwich.

That earned a frown.

"U-uh I didn't mean that you smell bad!" Ruby flailed her arms in emphasis. "Your breath always smells nice. Kinda like mint if you ask me. Not that it's just your breath, you smell nice in general- oh my gosh what am I saying?"

A blush formed that was as red as the red cape under her uniform. Ruby shyly glanced away from the flushed faunus.

Yang nibbled on the remains of her sandwich. "Aw, my baby sis is so flustered."

Somewhat annoyedly, Weiss glanced up at the blonde. The girl had at least four inches on her. Possibly five. Unbeknownst to Yang, there were a few crumbs stuck on the corners of her mouth. Without thinking, Weiss used a napkin to gently brush the crumbs away. This caused Yang to flinch from the unexpected contact.

"W-what're you doing?"

When lilac orbs melted with azure, Weiss suddenly realized what she was doing and hastily set the napkin down. "Y-you had a little…"

Yang wiped the crumbs from her mouth, although Weiss already got them all. "Thanks for that, mom."

Despite herself, Weiss smiled. "You're welcome."

To be silly, Ruby did the same for Blake and checked her mouth. "You're all clear."

Blake gave her a slight chuckle. "Thanks, although I could've checked myself. Do you want another one of my strawberries?"

"Do I?!" Ruby chirped excitedly.

"Say no more," with that, the faunus tossed the delectable berry over Ruby's head.

Like an expert, Ruby caught it in her mouth without incident and chewed greedily. "It's-psh delicious."

Blake set her hands in her lap after packing the remains of her lunch. "I'm glad."

After the delectable fruit slid down her throat, Ruby asked. "Do you wanna watch the new episode after school with me?"

"Sure."

"Really?" Ruby asked. "I thought you didn't like it much."

"The show's okay," Blake reasoned. "I wanted to read, but I can wait half an hour."

"Yes!" Ruby cheered.

Ruby of all people knew how much Blake enjoyed reading. The fact that she was willing to postpone that to watch a show filled her with giddiness. She was definitely looking forward to spending more time with her.

Yang leaned in, curiosity getting the best of her. "Which show?"

"It's called 'Cross the Line,'" Blake answered. "It's about a man with two souls, each fighting for control over his body."

"Sounds interesting," Yang said.

"Wanna join us?" Ruby offered.

"Ah, can't today," the blonde replied. "I have my afternoon run."

"That's right," Blake recalled. "Skipping your exercise regimen is unheard of."

"Thanks for the invite though."

Ruby leaned over to ask her friend. "What about you, Weiss? Do you wanna watch it with us?"

"I can't today, I'm sorry."

"Aw," Ruby pouted. "That's a shame."

Blake giggled. "Such a shame being stuck with me."

"You know what I meant."

"Yeah, I know what you meant."

* * *

"Are you ladies ready to go?"

Like a lion watches over his pride, Ozpin stared at the pair as he sat in his glimmering chair. The girls were at the bottom of the steps making some final adjustments for the trip ahead. Only the essentials were packed. Bottles of water, snacks like chips, and weapons.

When Yang was done rummaging in her yellow bag, she swung it around her back. She wiggled around each strap and casually spared a glance at her partner. Weiss just finished strapping her rapier to her skirt, so Yang followed suit and slid her favorite bright yellow brass knuckles over each hand. It was better to be prepared ahead of time. She was thinking ahead. Smart.

The blonde gazed up at the headmaster. "I think we're good to go now."

"That reminds me," Weiss chimed. "How will we get there and where is this place?"

"Oh princess, priestess…" Yang said teasingly. "You have much to learn."

For some reason, Weiss was more focused on the nicknames she called her. Both were endearing in her own way. She supposed she could let that slide… for now. Weiss was too focused on the mission that she cared a little less.

"Excuse me if I don't know how things work around here," the priestess replied.

"You're excused."

"How generous of you," Weiss quipped.

In a huff, Weiss looked away and shifted her gaze to Ozpin. Was he smiling?

"Ms. Schnee," Ozpin called, which caused the girls to give their undivided attention to him. "I want to formally apologize for your mother's death. It was unfair to her that she was involved with the relic."

That certainly caught her off guard. This was obviously a matter her headmaster had been pondering for quite some time. While she processed his words, Yang concernly checked on her. The priestess didn't seem to feel troubled, but rather, confident. Yang couldn't figure out how she attained such poise and stoicness.

"You had no power over what happened to her," Weiss reasoned. "There's no need for an apology."

"Thank you for saying that, Ms. Schnee," Ozpin fully smiled. "To think you're her daughter…"

When he trailed off, Weiss tilted her chin up. "I do have a few questions about her."

"Go ahead."

"My mother was an angel," the priestess paused, and her lips turned slightly upward. She liked that. She had nothing but fond memories of her. Such a kind heart and sweet smile. 'Angel' fit her perfectly.

Ozpin nodded and set his cane in his lap. "Indeed."

Silence. The only thing heard was the flickering of candles that were hanging along the walls. The paintings may have well been screaming. It was obvious Weiss was hesitant to ask the question, but she spoke firmly. With clarity.

"Does that mean I'm not _his_ daughter?"

Another stretch of silence. It was rare that Weiss mentioned her father. In fact, Yang tried to search her mind for one time maybe Weiss made an off-handed comment about him. Never. The blonde could only stare and try to discern what she was thinking. How she felt. That proved difficult since Weiss had mastered the art of the poker face.

Ozpin selected his words carefully. "You are not Jacques Schnee's biological daughter."

"I see…"

Relief washed over her in waves. The tide refreshed her being. There was a chill. A pleasant, calming chill.

 _Thank goodness. I'm not that monster's real daughter,_ Weiss thought. _At least I'm not related to him. Perhaps that's why he..._

"And my real father?"

"Your biological father died long ago."

 _I wish I could've met my real father. That would have been ideal._

The whole time, Yang kept her eyes glued to her partner. She appeared to be indifferent. Yang just wished she would discuss these things with her. Then again, it was a huge leap forward for Weiss to even ask these questions with her standing there. Yang smiled, taking pride in the fact that she was making progress.

"Is that all?" Ozpin asked.

"For now," Weiss dipped her head politely. "Thank you for answering my questions, sir."

"I hope you find the answers you're looking for."

From that, the priestess smiled up at him. A gentle, yet firm hand was placed on her back. It was Yang, who adorned a wide grin. "We can start by getting the next piece of the relic."

Weiss nodded at her partner.

"We know exactly where it is," Ozpin chimed. "However, the problem is solving the puzzle to reach it."

"Puzzle?" the priestess looked to Yang for an answer.

Yang sighed heavily. "Oz, Glyn and me can't figure it out. It's a tough one."

"Maybe you'll have more luck in solving it, Ms. Schnee," Ozpin stated. "I have a feeling you will."

"What exactly makes you think I can when two intelligent professors can't?"

"More brains in the equation couldn't hurt," Ozpin reasoned. "I'm sure we can all discuss possibilities of the answer. We'll have to see. For now, you need to analyze it."

Yang sighed again just thinking about it. Last time, she'd spent at least three straight hours in that dark and cold place just trying to decode the riddle. She and the professor's got nowhere, so they needed all the help they could get.

"It may as well be impossible," Yang said irritably. "Tell ya what, if you can solve it, I'll do whatever you say for a couple of days."

"You're that confident?" Weiss asked, intrigued by the idea.

"Yep!" the blonde chirped. "Don't get me wrong, you're smart, but it's a tough one."

"Challenge accepted," the priestess stated. "Prepare to make my coffee."

"I look forward to it."

A healthy competition was key. Yang wanted to push her partner's mind to the limits. Truthfully, Yang wouldn't mind if she lost the bet. Weiss would never make absurd requests. Although, she was positive that the riddle would stump her as well.

After the pair nodded firmly at each other, their attention returned to Ozpin. To their surprise, Ms. Goodwitch had managed to slip by and was talking with Ozpin, who now had a steaming mug in his hand.

"Ms. Goodwitch," Weiss greeted. "How nice it is to see you."

Loudly, Yang fake coughed into her hand. "Suck up," another fake cough.

The professor and student ignored the blonde's comment and remained focused on each other.

"You as well, Ms. Schnee," Glynda replied. "Have you started your report? I look forward to reading it."

From the subtle compliment, Weiss straightened up. On reflex, her hands darted behind her back. "It'll be finished tomorrow."

"With a week to spare," Glynda mused quietly. "I'm impressed."

"I try my best."

Before the professor could reply, Yang interjected.

"Sup, Goodbitch."

Dead silence.

The line echoed and even reverberated throughout the sacred temple. The portrait of a screaming egyptian mimicked exactly what Weiss was thinking. Glynda felt her eye twitch when she noticed Yang had a smirk.

"Yang," Glynda stated irritatingly like she was addressing a child. "I swear to god if you call me that one more time…"

Unable to hold back, Weiss pointed accusingly at the taller girl. "How dare you! She is your superior. Treat her as such."

"Pft," the blonde dismissed. "She's just Glyn. As long as I act like her student in school, it's all good."

 _What is going on?_ Weiss thought. _They have this kind of relationship?_

"Please," Glynda mocked. "During class, you pester me incessantly with your strange faces."

"Those are my normal faces," Yang pointed at her knowingly. "Besides, we both know you love it. It's somethin' to lighten up your day! You should be thanking me."

"You're just lucky I don't give you detention," Glynda remarked.

 _Yang's immune to detention from Ms. Goodwitch?_ Weiss thought. _And I thought I had perks._

The blonde tilted her head. "Didn't you give Cardin detention the other day? Why aren't you there to make his life miserable?"

For once, Glynda smiled. "I got Port to take my place. That's punishment enough, wouldn't you agree?"

"God, are you tryin' to torture the poor guy?" Yang asked jokingly.

Watching their banter was amusing, albeit shocking. Weiss had never seen Yang act this way to an adult before, so the two had to be at least somewhat close.

"What kind of a relationship do you two have?"

"Oh," the blonde chirped. "She was my tutor growin' up, so we got close!"

"We were close until you stole my sandwich," Glynda reminded with an annoyed look.

"Hey, you know I love bologna!"

"I was hungry the rest of the day!"

"I offered you some of my peanuts!" Yang countered.

"You know I'm allergic, you buffoon," their little spat ended.

Unintentionally, Yang laughed. That day, she set herself up to fail. To explain things, Yang turned to Weiss. "Teaching suits her, but it took me by surprise when I found out she was my teacher."

Weiss shook her head. "You're such a brute."

"Brute?" Glynda repeated. "That might be better than buffoon. I might use that one."

"What, so you guys are conspiring against me now?" Yang exclaimed.

Glynda only sighed. "How I put up with her I'll never know."

"What is this?" Yang asked. "Pick on Yang day?"

Simultaneously, Weiss and Ms. Goodwitch giggled just a little. Watching her frustration was definitely amusing.

It was then that Ozpin interjected. They were having a good time, and he didn't want to interrupt, but there was business to take care of. "As much as I love listening to this argument you have going on, we need to send them off. You ladies should try to retrieve the relic before the sun goes down."

"Alright!" that got Yang pumped. "Let's go!"

From atop the stairs, Glynda casually tossed the blonde her special broom. Yang caught it with glee and showed her companion all its glory.

"This thing is the shit."

"Pardon?" was all Weiss could say.

Glynda cleared her throat. "Her name is Wanda, and you will treat her with respect."

"Wanda's a stupid name for a broom. Broomda would've been better," Yang informed with a grin. Suddenly, the broom spasmed violently in Yang's arms. It mercilessly pounded her head as the blonde recoiled. "Ow, ow, ow, I said I got it, I got it already I'm sorry!"

Satisfied, Glynda lowered her fingers with a smirk.

Weiss couldn't take her eyes off the normal looking broom. "How'd it do that?"

To humor her, Yang said. "Magic."

"I wouldn't be surprised, to be honest," Weiss replied with a shrug.

"Hop on," Yang tapped the stick behind her.

Going along with it, the priestess got behind her. Together, they sat sideways on the broom since they were in their skirts- school uniforms.

"Now what-ah!"

A snap.

Unbeknownst to her, Ms. Goodwitch cast a spell on the broom that allowed it to fly. It was much easier to use the broom as transportation rather than walking or wasting gas.

It was obvious Yang had done this dozens of times as she dangled in mid-air. She adorned a smirk as she listened to Weiss' high-pitched yelps. The two were several meters high and the broom was positioned to shoot out the open front doors of the temple.

Before the priestess could fall, Yang grabbed her arm. "Hold tight."

Since Weiss frightened by the sudden events, she didn't protest and wrapped her arms tightly around her waist. "O-okay."

"Don't tell me you're scared of heights," Yang said.

An annoyed groan. "Shut up!"

" _Yang_ in there," the blonde proceeded to laugh at her own joke.

"Xiao Long, I'm going to murder you."

"Can you hold off on that till later?" Yang asked. "If ya do that now we might fall."

With her finger, Glynda inched the two slowly out the door. When they were outside, she called after them. "The cave is about an hour away via broom. Goodluck ladies."

"Via broom?" Weiss unintentionally whimpered. "How fast does this thing go-ah!"

Abruptly, the two shot out of the temple like a rocket. From this, several birds squawked and abandoned their nests. It was clear Yang had full control as she zoomed around trees and expertly, yet slowly tilted to the sky.

"Hold on."

Meanwhile, Weiss couldn't stop yelping. Yang deliberately slowed the ride to ease her nerves.

It only took a few seconds to soar just above the treeline. It was peaceful in the forest. The birds were chirping, the cicadas were singing, there was a calm breeze that wasn't hot or cold … and Weiss was still screaming.

"Just don't look down," Yang comforted. "I promise you'll be okay."

"D-do you have a license for this?!"

For a moment, Yang gave her a skeptical look as she glanced over her shoulder. Weiss didn't see her reaction since her face was buried in her back. A blush grazed Yang's cheeks from the contact.

"For driving a broom? Hm, lemme think. No, but this isn't my first-time steerin' this thing. I'm pretty experienced. You're in good hands."

Trusting her words, Weiss loosened her grip and looked down. Turns out, they weren't as high up as she'd originally thought, but still high enough to cause discomfort. She tried to focus on the sounds of nature, the fact that no clouds were in the sky, and the warm rays. But she couldn't get rid of that queasy feeling in her stomach.

"This thing should really have seatbelts."

Playfully, Yang tapped one of her arms that was wrapped around her waist. It was a tight grip, but not enough to suffocate her. "Aw, don't like clingin' to me?"

"For safety reasons, brute," Weiss stated. "If I let go-"

"I won't let you fall," the blonde assured. "Promise."

She was very confident in those words. So confident that it eased Weiss just a little. Despite the tense situation, Weiss found herself smiling.

"I trust you."

Yang let out a chuckle. "You're gonna have to."

Several moments went by in silence. The breeze whipped through their hair, so Weiss got several whiffs of her partner's shampoo. She found herself unable to stop smiling as she pressed against Yang. Her hair smelled wonderful. Like lemonade. It was an aroma she'd grown to adore.

"You okay?" Yang asked, looking over her shoulder. "You haven't talked in a while."

"Just trying to get used to things," Weiss admitted and glanced around.

Vibrant green all around. Upward, the sky was a healthy blue. What pulled everything together wasn't the scenery, it was being this close…

"Isn't it beautiful?" Yang asked.

The question snapped her out of her thoughts. "Gorgeous."

"Hate to break the moment, but we're almost there, so I'm gonna tilt it down, alright?"

 _Time flew,_ Weiss thought. _Oh no, did I just accidentally make a pun? The brute's rubbing off on me._

From the warning, Weiss braced herself and tightened her grip around Yang. "Go on."

It was easy to navigate around the trees. Eventually, the two slowly glided just above the grass, but high enough so their feet didn't touch the ground.

"It's juuuust around the corner," Yang mentioned.

Easily, the blonde steered around a huge mountain full of rocks, mud, and debris. When they rounded a corner, there was a gaping hole in the side of the mountain that looked like it led to nowhere. Deeming it safe, the blonde landed the broom safely on the mouth of the cave.

Carefully, Weiss stepped off the broom and dusted herself off. "This is it?"

An intimidating, gaping black hole.

"Yep," Yang confirmed. "A piece of the relic's in there."

Unmistakable, daunting howls. The sharp sounds rumbled throughout the cave with a ripple and echoed to the outside. This caused the partners to stare into the abyss.

"What was that?" Weiss asked, hesitant.

As Yang adjusted her brass knuckles, she spoke.

"Beowolves."

* * *

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	8. Resilience Remains

"Beowolves."

Since Yang had adjusted her brass knuckles, Weiss poised her rapier as the howls escaped the abyss.

"What are those?"

Calmly, Yang took a protective step in front of her partner. "Imagine those little wolf grimm you normally see and take their size times a hundred."

"I see," she replied. "We need to get rid of them if we're going to retrieve the relic safely."

"Exactly," Yang stated. "We cleaned out the cave last time we were here, but it looks like they came back."

The howls grew fiercer and more reverberated ominously out the cave mouth. With her fists raised, Yang inched deeper within the blackness. Her partner stood closely next to her, not wanting her to act as a shield.

"Don't go too far," the blonde suggested. "We have to keep an eye on each other."

"Good idea."

Each step brought them deeper into the blackness. Their shadows dissolved into the surrounding darkness. There were sounds of rushed shuffling. The grimm were close.

"Careful-woah!"

Abruptly, Yang dodged a swipe from a beowolf grimm. In the process, she pushed Weiss back a few feet to get her out of harm's way. When Yang recovered, she rocketed a vicious punch directly into the beowolf's jaw and launched it backward. Its dark mass eventually faded in the darkness and crashed into the harsh rock wall. This caused tons of debris to tumble to the ground and caused the cave to tremble.

"Yang!" Weiss called, her voice echoed. "Are you okay?"

She rushed to her side. She looked like she was fine. Smirking, in fact.

"I'm all good," the blonde reassured with a thumbs up. "Bastard took a cheap shot."

"Thanks for the save," Weiss replied.

More growls.

"Don't thank me yet," Yang warned, getting Weiss to look over at the remaining beowolves.

To avenge one of the fallen, the rest of the pack jumped to surround the intruders. The only way the girls could tell they were surrounded was because of those burning red eyes. The red eyes pierced the darkness. There were also more threatening low growls, and the hastened shuffling along the dirt ground.

To protect themselves, Weiss and Yang were back-to-back with their weapons raised. The only help to pick the targets were the floating red eyes.

"We brought everything, right?" Weiss asked quietly, trying not to startle the enemy.

"I think so, why?" Yang asked.

More growls.

"Why didn't we, oh I don't know, bring a light?"

Before the pack could pounce, Yang slammed her yellow brass knuckles together. This caused yellow sparks to fly. There was a suffocating rush of heat. Simultaneously, her blonde mane caught on fire, which caused a shockwave so powerful it sent the beowolves tumbling backward.

"Cuz I'ma natural torch!" her shout matched the power of her flames.

In awe, Weiss could only take in her blazing form. Yang's whole body was on fire. It was entrancing in the creepy cave. For being a torch, Yang wasn't hot. She was warm. Pleasantly so. For a moment, Weiss was worried for her, but that signature grin told her there was nothing to fear.

That smile was the brightest. Not the flames.

The priestess found herself mesmerized.

In rapid succession, Yang slugged several beowolves directly in the face. Her punches were so powerful that the grimm's masks chipped and dented in. When they absorbed too many crushing blows, their corpses withered and mixed into the darkness.

Sometimes, Yang would steal a glance behind her to make sure her partner was unscathed. For a moment, Weiss was in a trance just watching her partner fight. She was truly impressive. Adoration for her grew.

That's when she snapped out of it, knowing she had to help, too. There were many more grimm. She couldn't just stand there!

With her rapier poised, she joined the fray. While Yang focused on what was ahead of her, Weiss flanked her sides to prevent any grimm from a possible ambush.

The roaring flames illuminated the darkness around them, which allowed them to see almost perfectly. While Yang concentrated on drawing the beowolves' attention, Weiss was busy picking them off.

Grunts of effort clashed with fierce howls.

Yang had to admit, Weiss was talented in combat. She knew she was experienced with fencing, but didn't know her skill level. Just as a beowolf swung at Weiss, she effortlessly flipped over its form and impaled its chest. After it screeched, she whirled around and pierced another before it could stab.

When Yang wasn't killing the grimm, her eye was on Weiss. She was a natural.

The beowolves towered over the shorter girl, and she narrowly dodged a swipe as she tumbled to the side.

"Careful!" Yang called and lethally uppercut an unfortunate grimm. "They have really sharp claws!"

"I can-" Weiss jabbed a beowolf in rapid succession and it dissipated. "-see that!"

Since lilac eyes were focused on Weiss, Yang was sucker punched in the back. The wind was knocked out of her as she tumbled forward, but she recovered quickly with a somersault. She struggled to breathe for a few moments.

Weiss gasped. "Yang!"

"I'm fine!" Yang reassured the priestess.

Hurriedly, Weiss rushed to her side and skewered her assaulter where its heart should be. After it joined the darkness, she hopped back and helped her partner stand.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Weiss examined her for any serious injuries.

"I'm good now."

The beowolves weren't attacking anymore, but rather encircling them. There seemed to be the same amount of them as the beginning of the fight.

Yang took a deep breath to prepare herself for the next onslaught-

Before she could attack, Weiss spoke. "There's no end to them. Distract them."

Trusting she had a plan, Yang went with it. "You got it!"

With that, Yang rushed the enemy and baited as many grimm as possible. The flames were roaring even louder than the beowolves' snarls.

The beowolves were like bowling pins and the blonde was a steel ball, knocking them over and over.

Meanwhile, Weiss clasped her hands together on her rapier and aimed at the area most concentrated with grimm. If this was going to work, she had to focus. Block out all noise. That was nearly impossible since every sound echoed violently.

A deep exhale.

Then-

The white light, her aura, shot out the tip of her rapier. It was a lightning bolt that pricked the air. It struck where most of the grimm were located - around Yang. The moment the bolt ignited inside one of the grimm, the vast majority of beowolves vanished in a mere second.

Yang was temporarily blinded and covered her eyes. There was blissful silence for a moment, and she reopened them. When her vision focused, she noticed there were still some grimm that scattered. The ones that did survive were smart enough to take cover behind some boulders.

"Woah…" Yang breathed as she looked on in awe.

So many disappeared in a second! She looked over her shoulder to check on her partner. The priestess was on her knees, heaving. Purification of that level took a toll as she gulped for air.

"Stay there," Yang said sternly, yet softly. "I got the rest," now more determined than ever to protect the priestess.

Like she did before, the blonde acted as a tank. One-by-one, they went down and withered into nothingness. The few beowolves that remained attempted to flee, but Yang slayed them just before they could leap out of their den.

When it was clear, Yang instantly rushed over to her partner. "I think we finally got them all," the sound of greedy breaths. "Hey, you okay?"

"I'm fine," the priestess reassured. She gathered the energy to brace her knees and stood with the help of her partner. "Are they all gone?"

"I don't hear anything," the blonde commented, taking one last look around the area.

"How reassuring."

"You really handled yourself well out there," Yang praised. "I had no idea how skilled at fencing you are!"

Weiss slightly smiled. "I knew you boxed, but that was out of this world, Yang. It was very," she tapped her chin, thinking of how to describe her fighting style. "Brute-like."

"I can never get a normal compliment from you, huh?"

"No," the priestess said teasingly.

It was pitch black, which reminded Weiss to ask the question.

"How did you set yourself on fire? I had no idea you could do that."

Yang sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. "You can purify with your aura. I can burst into flames with mine!"

Weiss gave her an unimpressed look. "That makes no sense."

"Take it or leave it."

"Can you do it on command?" Weiss asked, showing more interest in the brawler's abilities.

"Pretty much," the blonde revealed. "Took me a while to master it."

"I'd imagine," the priestess couldn't stop playing the video over and over in her mind. Yang truly was mesmerizing in the midst of combat.

"As much as I'd love to stand here talking in the dark with you- really sets the mood, by the way-"

"Yang!"

Ignoring her scolding, Yang grabbed her hand, feeling the frosty touch, which almost caused her to recoil. "Jeez, so cold."

"W-why are you holding my hand anyways?!" Weiss exclaimed.

"We gotta get movin'. It'd be bad if we separate," Yang explained and led the way. "The puzzle is up ahead."

"Hold on," the priestess replied, which caused them to stop in their tracks.

Her pale hand glided under the collar of her uniform and pulled out the silver locket. She trickled a small amount of aura into it, which caused it to unlock. When it opened, a piece of the relic fell onto her palm, which created much-needed light. It wasn't bright enough to be blinding, but it surrounded their forms and several meters into the deep abyss.

"Genius!" Yang cheered. "Now we don't have to worry about tripping over something."

"Go on," Weiss said and stood by her side. "You know where it is, after all."

Since the relic wouldn't shine when it was out of Weiss' touch, they walked side-by-side.

"Your wish is my command, princess."

Slowly, Yang led as the relic glowed brilliantly. Since their adrenaline was still pumping, they'd completely forgot that they were holding hands. This miniscule, yet intimate contact was warm in this cold cave. They helped each other keep their balance as they hopped over rocks that were begging to trip them.

It wasn't until they arrived did they separate in a fluster.

"T-this is it right here," Yang pointed to the stone wall. "The puzzle's hints."

To challenge the riddle, Weiss narrowed her eyes and stepped forward. There was a small patch of sand directly in front of the riddle with a small stick nearby. Meticulously, she examined the stone. It contained three words.

"Lifeblood, Character, Four."

She glanced back at Yang, the small relic was the only reason she could see her confused face.

Yang shrugged. "I have no idea."

"Have you and our professors written on this sand?"

"We didn't know what to write," the blonde replied. "It's weird that sand's there, so it's gotta be part of it."

Curiously, the priestess soothed her cold hands over the surface of the cave wall. The words were lower, so she could reach them. Each word was carved into the stone. While concentrating, Weiss placed her fingers under her chin. Blue eyes never left the words as her brain shifted to overdrive.

"Do you have any clue?" Yang asked.

"Quiet please."

"Woops."

There it was again. That thinking face Yang had grown to adore. The only sound the cave emitted was the dripping of water rivulets. Very muffled and in the distance.

The words… the sand… the stick… were they all connected? Was the sand there to throw them off? No, that'd be such an idiotic trick. One she saw through in a second.

After about a minute, Weiss' face lit up even brighter than the glowing white shard in her hand. Without a word, Weiss sauntered over to the thin stick and lifted it before heading over to the patch of soft sand.

"Such a convenient stick."

"We brought it in here and left it there," Yang mentioned. "Don't tell me you already know the answer," she said in exasperation.

"It's a hunch," from her tone, she was confident. Like it wasn't a mere hunch.

Yang could only stare at her partner as she sketched a symbol into the sand.

"An upside-down triangle? What the heck's that mean?"

"Water," the priestess answered. "The words are lifeblood, character, and four."

"So?"

"So," Weiss drawled. "What makes up Earth?"

"Uh, grass and water, too," Yang guessed.

"I mean, you're not wrong," Weiss replied. "It's the four elements."

"Wha…"

"The things that make up this world are the four main elements," the priestess continued to explain. "The hint 'four' gave 'lifeblood' away. 'Lifeblood' simply means exactly what it says. Things that make up this planet. After, it's clear. It tells you that you need to know the symbols for those four elements, hence the word 'character,' which is the answer that needs to be drawn."

As Weiss continued to sketch the symbols into the sand, Yang's jaw dropped. "Y-you solved it in less than a minute!?"

"We'll see," the priestess sketched a triangle. "This is fire."

"How do you even know the symbols?"

"See, the word 'character' threw me off, but it's another word for, as you said, 'symbol,'" Weiss stated. "I liked mythology growing up. I studied it a lot."

She bit her bottom lip from revealing personal details. Studying was usually her escape. Especially when she was growing up.

"Huh…"

The next symbol, Weiss drew a triangle with a line across the top angle. "This means air."

Yang could only stare.

Finally, Weiss finished sketching the last symbol. It was an upside-down triangle with a line across the bottom angle. "This is Earth."

The second the last symbol was sketched, the walls trembled.

"Holy shit," the blonde couldn't help but curse as she took a step back, pulling Weiss with her just in case. "That didn't happen last time!"

Weiss released the stick as they wobbled and held each other to stay upright.

Knowingly, Weiss smirked up at Yang. "Because I was right."

Yang could only stare at the shorter girl.

She was incredible.

"Damn, you're smart."

"It's hard being me sometimes," Weiss sassily flipped her hair with a smirk.

Yang playfully rolled her eyes as they watched the walls slide apart. Rocks tumbled from the sudden tremors. What was revealed was another deep abyss.

"A black hole inside a black hole. Great," Yang whined.

Slowly, Weiss approached with her relic in hand. The bright light exposed what lurked in the unknown darkness.

Three beowolves. Only this time, these three were bigger, taller, and more intimidating than the rest of the pack.

Low, forewarning growls.

The pair stepped back, eyes the size of dinner plates.

Weiss spoke through quivering lips. "Those aren't like the other ones, are they?"

"Nope," Yang replied, popping the 'p.'

* * *

 **The chapter is titled after Cross the Line by Amalee. "But its 'resilience remains' as it looks your way." They were resilient this chapter, wouldn't you agree?**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	9. Moments Under Pressure

"Apha beowolves."

"Three of them," Weiss observed as she safely locked her relic in the silver locket. This descended the cave into darkness. "Can you become a torch again?"

On command, Yang slammed her brass knuckles together and ignited. From the sudden rush of heat, the three beowolves stumbled backward. Now that there was proper lighting, the girls could grasp just how large these monsters were. The alphas towered over the partners. Cautiously, they approached on all fours.

"Was this a trap?" Weiss asked exasperatedly, taking a look around. "I don't see a piece of the relic."

"Let's handle these guys first. They're harder to take down, so watch yourself."

When Yang raised her fists and Weiss poised her weapon, the grimm pounced.

Instinctively, Yang threw herself into the fray. Meanwhile, Weiss darted around the beasts to lethally stab one from behind. However, the alphas proved to be more intelligent than the rest of the pack. The alpha on the left side whirled around to intercept and parry the rapier.

While the priestess slid backward from the impact, Yang had her hands full with two of them. Luckily, she was experienced with two-on-one fights. After the blonde dodged a potentially lethal blow, she rocketed a punch in its gut. For good measure, she twisted her brass knuckles deeply in its body. This caused one of the alphas to crash into a nearby wall, but it didn't dissipate.

"Strong bastards!" Yang grunted.

The moment she yelled, the other alpha collided roughly into her torso. The wind was knocked out of her as she flew backward. In mid-air, she gained her bearings and flipped over, successfully landing on her feet, albeit a bit wobbly.

When Weiss knew her partner was okay, she refocused on the enemy. Just now, she managed to knock the alpha back a few feet, but it recovered and was angrier than ever, having suffered a stab wound. The jab she just landed was the first. Unfortunately, this alpha was skilled at blocking her attacks, and that was infuriating.

 _This worthless monster can read me like a book,_ the priestess thought. _I need to be more unpredictable._

With a plan, Weiss rushed to the nearest wall as the sounds of howls rumbled through the cave. As expected, the alpha chased her and almost cornered her like prey. However, Weiss continued to dart forward and ran along the wall, eventually flipping over and landing on top of her opponent.

She strived for a hold on the wriggling alpha and got in position. The large beast screeched and before it could claw her, she jabbed its back in rapid succession with her rapier.

 _Go down,_ Weiss thought repeatedly. _Go down, go down, go down, go down, go down! Go down so I can help Yang!_

The alpha shrieked in a fury and violently ripped her off its back with its hand around her torso. With no effort, it tossed her deeper into the abyss like she was a doll.

She let out a shocked yelp tore from her lungs.

"Weiss!" Yang shouted, worry washing over her as she watched the priestess get thrown.

After the priestess took a rough tumble, she shook her head and firmly stood.

"I'm fine! Focus on yourself!"

 _Just be okay. Don't worry about me._

"Kay, just-" Yang ducked under a swipe. "C'mere!"

Weiss was already on it. To fight, she needed to see her opponent. She didn't want to be too far from her partner, anyways. In seconds, the two were back-to-back again, neither having defeated any alpha.

"You weren't kidding. They're tougher," Weiss admitted, slightly out of breath. Her school uniform was covered in dirt. A simple wash wouldn't help.

"We can do this," Yang stated.

Having fought an entire pack of beowolves before, exhaustion was setting in. Motivation was running thin, but Weiss believed in her words. As long as Yang was there, she felt like she could take on the world, even after being tossed around like some toy. In these moments under pressure, they felt it closing in...

… But Yang was the one she believed in.

There was stressful silence as the alphas encircled them and giggled like hyenas.

"Duck!" Weiss shouted.

"Goose!" Yang jokingly replied and obeyed, crouching lower.

A pair of hands used her shoulders as a stepping stone to flip in the air and twirl around the alphas. In mid-air, Weiss hoisted her rapier directly into a beowolves' head. When the alpha was stunned in place, Yang used that as an opportunity to rocket a harsh jab in its torso.

That alpha began to wither away before it even smashed into a nearby boulder.

While Weiss hastily retrieved her weapon, the brawler focused on the remaining two alphas. Due to fighting for so long, fatigue was starting to creep in. Yang was slower than normal with her swings and could barely dodge the swift strikes. She hastily blocked any oncoming attacks and switched to a more defensive tactic as her flames withered just a tiny bit.

Just as Weiss stepped in to take on one of the alphas, Yang was swiped directly in her abdomen and gasped from the sudden rush of pain. She had no time to recover as the beowolf smacked her several feet away like she was a mere fly.

"Yang!"

Yang was heaving from the impact and was on all fours, trying to gain her bearings.

"I've…" several pants. "Never been better!"

Despite her obvious suffering, her flames still roared and melted the darkness.

"Rest," the priestess stated. "Leave them to me."

 _I need to finish this so I can help her. I think she's bleeding._

Eager, Weiss intercepted the alpha that targeted Yang. While she got its attention, she distracted the other one that was chasing its prey. As she thrust her rapier at a vital spot, the alpha parried her attack with its sharp claws.

 _Die! I need to help Yang!_

In her haste, she glided backward and slipped under one of the alpha's legs. Quickly, she impaled it where the heart should be. A bead of sweat dripped down her cheek as she waited for the monster to wither into nothingness. A second felt like an eternity. The head of the beowolf began to dissolve as it let out a sigh. It didn't take long for the alpha to tip over and slump on the ground.

The moment its towering form fled her vision, the other alpha rushed her.

Since her rapier was still embedded in the corpse, Weiss had no way to defend herself. All she could do was hold up her arms to block a vicious swipe-

She expected sharp claws to rip open her skin, but instead, she was plowed in the side. All the air rushed out of her lungs from the sudden collision, leaving her to gasp helplessly. It felt like a boulder rammed into her at full force and rattled her skull. Weiss slowly shook her head to gain her bearings and looked up to see-

It was Yang.

"You okay?"

Silence.

Weiss found herself unable to speak.

Yang was standing there, struggling. She successfully fended off the swipe with her bare hands. The beast and brawler were at a standstill as Weiss stared.

"Yang!"

As Weiss moved to help her, Yang's strength gave out. Her muscles ached from the immense strain she'd put them through the last few hours. The monster squirmed out of her grip and mimicked one of her signature moves- the uppercut.

The strident blow careened directly under her jaw. Yang let out a fragile yelp as she spiraled to the top of the cave and crashed into the rocks above. The impact caused the cave to vibrate violently. The moment the brawler impacted the harsh debris, the flames around her smothered into nothingness.

" **Yang!"**

The blonde didn't answer. More like couldn't. She was glued to the ceiling, unmoving. Now that it was pitch-black, Weiss couldn't see a thing. She _had_ to see her partner. _Had_ to. She had to be okay!

She grabbed her rapier and with huge energy, knocked the remaining alpha into a nearby boulder. Using that as her chance, she hastily opened her silver locket under her uniform and grabbed the relic.

Now she could see Yang embedded in the cave's ceiling. Seeing her didn't rid the nausea. Debris showered from the top and painted the area an ugly brown.

"Yang! Wake up!"

Eventually, the blonde's arms fell from the rocks and the top half of her form dangled from the top.

 _Oh no._

Weiss knew she had to act fast, so she positioned herself below.

 _I won't lose you, too!_

Seconds later, Yang fell…

… along with a ton of rocks.

The ceiling caved in along with Yang. The brawler began to plummet with the varied debris. For once, Weiss had no idea of what to do and reacted on instinct as she bolted to her falling form.

At break-neck speeds, Weiss acted as a barrier and blocked her fall. It was like a train ramming into a soda can. For a few moments, her world spun and plunged into darkness as the rocks showered over them. The faint white faded from her vision, and she fought as the blackness threatened to consume her.

What felt like an eternity later, Weiss' vision returned. For a moment, she forgot where she was. She sat up in a daze, but found that hard to do when a limp heap prevented her from doing so. It was Yang, who was dangerously quiet and unmoving. Carefully, she treated Yang like glass and turned her over.

"Yang, Yang! Wake up!" her voice echoed in the abyss.

It was no use. Yang was knocked out cold and what's worse, her uniform had several splotches of red. The little white light engulfed their forms as Weiss fought back tears.

 _No! You won't die here!_

It was then that a few rocks in the distance shook. With a quick glance, Weiss realized it was the remaining alpha's arm sticking up and twitching. If she was going to protect Yang, she had to destroy the last monster inside this cave.

Exhausted, she wobbly stood and walked over to the grimm. By the time she hobbled over, the alpha rose from the rocks and roared.

Weiss just stared at what was supposed to be an intimidating shout. She was _done_.

Fearlessly, she gathered some aura and shot it out the tip of her rapier. The beast was pulverized and vanished in a second. During the fight, Weiss wanted to save energy, which is why she didn't do that before. That proved to be fruitless as she swayed. Before falling, she caught herself and forced herself to stand.

 _Yang… Yang..._

She stumbled over to the unconscious brawler, who was surrounded by dozens of rocks that'd fallen.

Intending to be her crutch, Weiss lifted one of her limp arms around her shoulders.

 _I need to get her out of here._

She lost more energy than she'd originally thought, so when she moved to stand, she face-planted next to her downed partner. The adrenaline was the only thing that kept her going until that point. When it wore off, she realized she used up too much aura, leaving her more than exhausted. She'd never felt this drained in her entire life.

 _No… not here… not now..._

She felt herself slipping as her vision turned dark.

 _No… Yang..._

No matter how hard she fought, she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer and she only saw darkness.

* * *

It was soft…

Why was it soft? Weren't rocks supposed to be rough?

Muffled noises.

Wasn't it silent before? Besides the occasional drop of water.

Needing to find out, she tried to open her eyes, but that was a chore.

It was warm…

It wasn't supposed to be warm, was it? She remembered this feeling of numbness from being so cold, but now she was warm.

More muffled noises. Probably voices. She couldn't tell. They were incoherent and sounded like they were miles away.

With great effort, she pried open her eyes. The feat left her so tired she almost shut them again, but the pit of her stomach bugged her- yelled at her to keep them open. When her vision focused, the patterns and shapes on the ceiling were no longer blurry. They were intricate and familiar.

"Welcome back, Ms. Schnee."

Slowly, Weiss turned her head to the soft voice. It was Ozpin. He was sitting in a chair next to her bed, waiting for her to come to. Like a father watching over his child.

"Where's Yang?"

Ozpin smiled, not at all surprised that her main concern was her partner. The star student even skipped formalities and cut to the chase.

"Yang is okay. She's resting over there," Ozpin's gaze trailed behind her.

Weiss believed him, she really did, but she had to check to make sure Yang was safe. As he said, the brawler was sleeping peacefully in the cozy bed. Professor Goodwitch was in a chair next to her bed with dark circles under her eyes.

 _Thank goodness. Yang's okay._

The blonde had been changed in a robe and was no longer splattered in red. A far cry from what she looked like before.

"How is she?" Weiss asked, not taking her eyes off the sleeping blonde.

After Ms. Goodwitch adjusted her glasses, she spoke. "She's alright now. I healed the worst of her wounds. However, she had a concussion and will feel the effects for a short time after she wakes, which should be soon."

"'Had?'" the priestess quoted.

"I healed most of that as well," Glynda replied. "I'm not a miracle worker. She won't be one-hundred percent for a couple of days."

"I see," Weiss breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

Glynda only smiled.

"What transpired in the cave?" Ozpin asked. "You were both in bad shape when we reached you."

It took Weiss a moment to search her mind for an answer. "She-she took a hit meant for me."

Guilt welled up in her chest. She'd definitely repay Yang for that.

"Reckless buffoon," Glynda mumbled. Despite her words, she was obviously worried about the injured brawler and brushed her bangs away from her face.

"We came to get you when you took too long to come back," Ozpin informed. "In the process, we retrieved the relic."

"So it _was_ behind the makeshift wall," Weiss mused. "I guess it's good that we didn't destroy an army of grimm for nothing."

"We're very impressed, Ms. Schnee," Ozpin said fondly. "You two did well."

 _Yeah right,_ Weiss thought sarcastically. _Yang got hurt. If they didn't come along..._

Glynda chimed, which snapped her out of her thoughts. "I knew you could solve it. You're my best student, after all."

Weiss dismissed the praise. She didn't feel like the best. She was careless. Because of her, Yang was hurt. More guilt ate her being, but she took solace in the fact that Yang was okay. She was resting. Recovering.

Wait, how long have they been here? Come to think of it, time definitely past since they were taken to the temple. Weiss wondered exactly how long it'd been.

"How long have we been out?"

Ozpin checked the clock on the wall. "Almost a day. It's Saturday now."

The priestess processed his words. It was about to be evening on a Saturday? They left after school on Friday. Yang's family-

"Her family must be worried sick," Weiss realized.

"I'd imagine yours is, too," Ozpin replied. "You should head home. Don't worry, we'll look after her."

From that, Weiss gripped the bedsheets until her knuckles turned white. Azure orbs trailed to the dozing blonde and stuck to her like glue. She spoke softly, yet sternly.

"No, my family is right here."

* * *

 **Ah god, that last line makes an arrow go through my heart every time it's so damn sad/sweet. The chapter title refers to the song I'm a Believer by Amalee. "In these 'moments under pressure'- when you feel it closing in you're the one- be the one to believe in."**

 **The scene showed Weiss believed in Yang since she was so optimistic.**

 **Mentioned:** " **It's not easy to keep going motivation's running thin."**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	10. Worry About Yourself For Once

It'd been about an hour since Weiss woke. During that time, she managed to crawl out of bed and watch over her sleeping partner.

Since Glynda and Ozpin worked to heal their injuries all night, Weiss dismissed them, stating that they needed rest as well. Although they were impressive to heal their injuries, they weren't invincible. Everyone needs to sleep. Even the headmaster and professor.

After Weiss changed into her uniform, she securely strapped Myrtenaster to her skirt. The professors were kind enough to clean their dirty laundry. The uniforms used to be bathed in brown, but now they looked good as new, aside from the few rips. That couldn't be helped. Weiss made a mental note to sew her stockings and shirt later.

The mere act of changing outfits drained her. For once, Weiss was looking forward to go home. There were a lot of things she didn't like about her home, but her bed was the one thing she liked. The mattress was so soft and warm, even in her cold room.

In concern, she watched Yang sleep. She looked so peaceful. Like she didn't slam into a ton of rocks just yesterday.

Weiss watched her with a smile, _she's not half-bad to look at when she's not bleeding or being a brute._

Her blonde hair was well-kempt like she hadn't destroyed an army of grimm. Glynda must've brushed it and even cleaned her. Carefully, Weiss gathered the blonde mane and placed it on top of her shoulder to prevent her from accidentally tugging on it in her sleep.

 _It's so soft,_ Weiss thought fondly. _It's a shame she doesn't allow many people to touch it. I bet Ms. Goodwitch washed it. Yang takes pride in her hair above all else. She probably knew that since they're close. Maybe she's one of the few who's allowed to touch her hair._

Since she wasn't given permission, Weiss felt guilty for touching her hair and sat on the nearby chair. For once, Yang looked so fragile just laying there. It was a calm state. One Weiss had never seen her in. She looked so serene, peaceful…

Beautiful.

With a blush, Weiss reached out. It felt odd to not hold her hand. Something in the world told her to. Like it was wrong if she didn't. Her cold hand met Yang's own warm one. The priestess let slip a relieved sigh. She didn't realize how cold she was until their hands met.

Unexpectedly, the frigidness coaxed Yang awake.

In a haze, Yang slowly opened her eyes. This caused Weiss to pull away in a fluster.

"Weiss…?"

Bleary lilac eyes focused on her worried expression. To comfort her, Weiss smiled and spoke softly.

"Are you okay? Does anything hurt?"

Yang squeezed her eyes shut and blocked them from the lights. "Raging migraine… feels like I'm hungover..."

Quickly, Weiss turned off the lights and returned to her side. She knew a few things about keeping migraines from worsening, so she kept her voice in a whisper. "You had a concussion. Ms. Goodwitch and headmaster Ozpin tried to heal it, but they said it will take a couple of days for you to fully recover."

Not yet ready to open her eyes again, Yang asked. "Are you okay?"

Weiss almost found that humorous. Overall, she mostly came out unscathed. The only thing she was suffering from was exhaustion. Her partner was another story. The last time she saw Yang, she was bloodied and battered.

"I'm fine thanks to you," the priestess murmured. "We did it. We got the relic."

From the news, Yang opened her eyes, pleasantly surprised that the lights were off. To show her, Weiss activated her aura to open her locket. A piece of the shard fell out in her palm. The glowing white shard was a tad bigger than before.

"Ozpin fused mine and the new one together," Weiss explained. "This is two relic pieces in one. Interesting, don't you think?"

Since the relic was so bright that it caused Yang to recoil.

"Sorry," Weiss apologized and turned around to lock the relic inside. "I can't help that it glows when I touch it."

"It's alright."

When the bright light vanished, Weiss turned around to see Yang's gentle fist in the air.

"We did it, partner," despite her fatigue and pain, Yang broadly grinned. It wasn't one where she was hiding pain, but rather genuine.

Gently, Weiss fist-bumped her. "Three more to go."

Slowly, Yang tried to sit up. To make the process easier, Weiss placed a hand on her back to push her up. "Easy, Yang. Sudden movements could make it worse."

"I got it, thanks," when she was fully upright, Yang glanced around in the mild darkness. "What time is it?"

Weiss looked away, not eager to give her an answer. "We've been here for a day. It's Saturday evening."

"Ugh," the blonde groaned. This isn't good. She'd have to face her family and their endless questions, but right now her head hurt too much for her to care.

"We should get back before dark," the priestess suggested.

She didn't want to exert her partner in her state, but there was no way she was going to let Yang stay here any longer. Her family was undoubtedly worried. Yang has people to go home to. People who care for her. It was best to drop her off and show them that she's okay. Well, mostly.

"Yeah, you're right," Yang breathed.

It was clear that it pained her to talk, so Yang kept her words curt and to the point. Weiss didn't mind. If she was her typical boisterous self her migraine would increase tenfold to the point that it'd be crippling.

Determined, Yang set both feet on the warm wooden floor. She moved to stand a little too quickly, so she swayed. Thankfully, Weiss saw that coming and acted as her crutch to keep her upright. Her smaller form was beneath the brawler's.

"Yang, what'd I just say?" Weiss asked, not expecting her to answer. "Move slowly. We can't have you getting worse."

 _She's in worse shape than I thought. That was a really hard hit._

Weiss bit her lip as she recalled Yang rocketing violently into the cave ceiling. She'd never forget the fragile yelp that ensued, and the radiant flames flickering away.

Yang's head was throbbing too much for her to even realize how close she came to collapsing. In a daze, she looked down to notice Weiss had absorbed most of her weight. "O-oops, my bad."

Carefully, Weiss wrapped one of her arms around her waist. It was true she was smaller than the taller girl, but that didn't faze her. Yang needed support and she was going to get it.

"Can you stand on your own?" Weiss asked quietly. "You need to change."

Yang didn't even notice she was in a robe until she looked down. "Aw, damn."

If it wasn't one thing, it was another.

"Do you think you can handle it?" Weiss asked.

"Y-you might need to help."

"Wh-what?"

Weiss only asked to be courteous! She didn't think Yang would actually accept-

"I'm kidding. I got this."

The priestess only sighed. "Even when you're like this, you manage to be insufferable," slowly, she slipped away and placed a hand on her shoulder. "If you need me I'll be in the corner."

"Aw, you're so worried."

"Shut up."

Despite her words, it lacked her characteristic bite. Yang was just lucky she was in no condition to be yelled at. Otherwise, Weiss would be chewing her out.

With that, the priestess retreated to the corner of the room to give Yang some privacy. Yang's clothes were on a nearby bed, so she grabbed them and got to work. It took longer than she liked, but she pushed through the violent pounding. Eventually, she slipped on her uniform without incident.

"You can look now."

Weiss turned around with obvious skepticism in those blue eyes. "There's no longer blood on it."

"Glyn probably did that. She's a miracle worker. I can wear it on Monday."

"If you're better," Weiss stated. "Let's get going. First, do you have sunglasses?"

"Yeah, why?"

"You're going to need them if you don't want your migraine to worsen."

"Oh right," the thought hadn't even crossed her mind. Weiss sure was thoughtful of her needs. "Good thinkin. They're in my bag."

Swiftly, Weiss rummaged around the yellow bag and grabbed the fashionable sunglasses. After, she swung her white bag and her partner's yellow bag around her back.

"Hey, you don't have to-"

"Quiet you," the priestess said lowly.

She'd be a fool if she missed the signs. Yang was suffering greatly even though she was trying so hard to appear okay. Without a word, Weiss set the sunglasses on her face and slipped under her left arm, taking off some of her weight. This would hopefully lessen the burden for Yang in the long haul.

Knowing she'd hurt her pride if she refused, Yang allowed it. "Thanks, Weiss."

 _First names,_ Weiss thought. _She's definitely not okay._

The normal Yang would've made some joke that would've made her ears hurt. Confidently, Weiss led them out of the room. The temple's lights were still on, so it's a good thing Yang adorned sunglasses. It'd be blinding to anyone with a migraine.

It took longer than Weiss liked to exit the temple. Good thing Yang's house was only about a mile from here. It could be worse.

The sun was setting and peaked over the horizon. There was enough light to cause discomfort, which is why Yang sighed in relief. Sunglasses were a lifesaver. There was no breeze and it was pleasantly warm. The birds had retreated to their nests for the day. Despite the pleasantries, Weiss could only think of the labor ahead.

As the two hobbled through the forest, Weiss focused on absorbing most of the taller girl's weight. It was true that she was exhausted, but this was for Yang. It was obvious that her head was killing her. She had to give Yang credit, though. She was just as determined to get home and pushed on.

The silence ended after several seconds when Weiss spoke.

"Hey, Yang?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for saving me," Weiss said just above a whisper. "I'm sorry I put you in that situation."

Weiss will never forget how Yang stood tall like a saint. When she blocked the lethal swipe, she looked like a goddess.

"There's no need for you to apologize," the blonde smiled through the pain. "I just- I never want you get hurt. You mean too much to me."

Those words… they caused Weiss to feel warm. Her heart fluttered and maybe skipped a beat. The atmosphere around her suddenly seemed much brighter and more beautiful. The leaves were greener, the sun was brighter, the rays were warmer...

"Besides," Yang continued. "This is nothin'-" the moment she said that, her free hand gripped her head to prevent it from exploding. "Agh, god…" she groaned through grit teeth.

Weiss worriedly checked her over. "And you tell me not to act tough."

"Oh, yeah, yeah," the blonde dismissed. That was different. Yang didn't care if she herself got hurt. It was her friends she was concerned about. To her, her wellbeing was always secondary. Her friends' was first. "Ah, what'd you want me to do?"

"Pardon?"

"You won the bet," Yang reminded. "You solved the puzzle that no one else could. What do you want me to do for the oh so great princess?"

 _She's in this condition and is worried about a silly bet? The brute..._

Suddenly, Weiss stopped walking, which caused Yang to stop as well. "Get some rest."

Yang didn't even realize she was standing on her porch until they stopped hobbling. Her sense of time felt drastically distorted when her skull was repeatedly being slammed by a gong.

"That's stupid," Yang said softly and leaned in her ear. "What do you really want me to do?"

Weiss' pale face flushed crimson. "I-I owe you for taking a hit meant for me, so we're even. Understand?"

Yang accepted her kind words and slowly separated from the shorter girl. When she stood on her own, Weiss moved away. Worried azure orbs never left lilac.

"You should come in," Yang offered. "It'll be dark soon."

"It's okay," Weiss said. "I'll make it to my house before the sun sets. Try not to worry your father or Blake and Ruby."

"You sure you don't wanna come in?" Yang wanted to clarify. "I guess I can walk you home. I don't want you going back alone."

Weiss gave her a concerned gaze. "You're in no condition to advance another step. Worry about yourself for once. Remember our agreement? Rest."

"Fine… fine," Yang grumbled, wishing she could convince the priestess otherwise. "But I'm not resting until you text me when you make it home."

"Deal," Weiss stated. "Out of curiosity, do you have a heating pad?"

"Uhh, Ruby does," Yang recalled. "Why?"

"It works wonders for migraines. And be sure to take some medicine and a hot shower."

"Alright, I'll give it a shot. Thanks, Weiss."

"Just get better."

The priestess turned on her heel and walked away. However, she didn't leave until she watched Yang safely slip inside her home.

The moment Yang was alone, she ditched the sunglasses and covered her head. It was about to explode. The long walk made the throbbing one hundred times worse. However, she didn't have much time alone. From the noise of the door shutting, Ruby and Blake rounded a corner with curious gazes.

"Yaaaang!"

Ruby only stared for a few seconds until she crushed her older sister in an embrace. When Yang yelped, she pulled away in a fluster.

"Oh gosh I'm sorry, did that hurt? Where were you? We thought you got kidnapped on your run! There's stories on the news about that all the time! We thought you were in a ditch somewhere, but it hadn't been twenty-four hours so we couldn't report you missing or-"

"Ruby- I'm fine," Yang cut her off, irritation in her tone. The throbbing got worse from the sudden jostle. "Please shut up."

Silver eyes shifted from surprise to concern. "O-okay," it'd been a while since her older sister was short with her. "Sorry, we were really worried. We're glad you're okay. You are okay, right?"

"Where were you?" Blake asked before Yang could answer.

All these questions caused her head to pound and ring mercilessly. She had to make it upstairs to her room. It wasn't that far away, so she forced herself to walk normally.

"I got sidetracked," Yang offered weak protest. "I'm exhausted. I'll explain things later."

Ruby and Blake watched her slowly make her way over to the stairs with confused gazes.

When Yang got to the bottom of the stairs, she looked up. The staircase was a mountain. Before she could take the first step, there was a firm hand on her shoulder. A bigger hand. Tiredly, she glanced back to notice it was her father.

"You better tell us everything, young lady," Taiyang stated. "Do you have any idea how worried I was? How worried we were?"

A bark from the corgi confirmed his distress.

Suddenly, Taiyang's face blurred, and Yang looked back up at the stairs.

"There's nothin' to worry about," the blonde murmured. "I just really... need..."

Before she could finish her sentence, she tipped backward. Multiple gasps rang out. Luckily, Taiyang was already behind her, so he easily caught her. He protectively scooped her in his arms and checked her over. Her eyes had fluttered shut and her face was furrowed like she was in pain.

"Yang?!" Taiyang called, voice rose in a panic. "Yang?!"

Ruby and Blake rushed over to the pair and worriedly checked the downed girl.

"Is she okay?" Blake asked with urgency in her tone, her ears dropping a bit.

"W-what happened?" Ruby voice broke, matching her father's anxiety. "She said she was exhausted but..."

Taiyang placed the back of his hand on Yang's forehead. It wasn't unnaturally warm. Nothing to raise alarm bells.

"She doesn't have a fever," Tai diagnosed. "She probably is just exhausted. I'm gonna put her in bed," he made his way up the wooden stairs with his daughter in his arms. "We'll talk about this with her tomorrow after she feels better, alright?"

"O-okay," Ruby called after him.

Blake and Ruby could only stare, wondering what happened to her.

* * *

 **Aw Yang! Way to worry your fam! Having a migraine seriously sucks. If you haven't had one I'm jealous.**

 **P.S. as I write this, canon Weiss is a kabob. Tomorrow maybe she'll be an unkabob.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	11. But Can We Be There For You?

Subtle warm rays crept through the half-closed window and beamed on the yellow bed.

Just her luck. The sun wanted her to wake since the rays were directly on her closed eyes.

After she grimaced, Yang slowly opened her eyes. Lilac absorbed the blinding light and she shut them again. Too sudden. After a few seconds, she turned over and tried again in the dimmer light. Much better.

Yang slowly sat up and lazily glanced around the room. Pictures of her family scoured the area. Images of her friends scattered her bulletin board that was hanging just above her desk. There was a laptop next to her small desk lamp. She was in her room? She didn't remember making it to her room, did she?

From looking around, she set her hand on her head. Wait, why'd she do that…?

Oh yeah!

She had a really bad migraine the last time she was awake. The worst she's ever had. She experimentally moved her head around, but no merciless poundings came. Just a slight ache. A far cry from before.

"Thank god," Yang breathed. "I couldn't stand another second of that."

Mindlessly, she picked up her phone that was resting on the nightstand. To her surprise, she received several texts from Weiss. Most of them were asking if she was okay. These spanned throughout the day. The first one stated that she made it home safely. That was sent over twelve hours ago.

"I slept for half a day?!" Yang's jaw was agape as she processed the thought. "Woops."

She felt guilty for making Weiss wait for a reply, so she texted her back.

Determined, Yang stood. She didn't even realize she was in her pajamas until she looked down. Then again, they were comfy and silky. Not constricting like her uniform.

After Yang scuffled down the hallway, she made her way downstairs. Just below, Ruby, Blake, and her father were eating sandwiches. From her arrival, the three looked up to her in concern as she trudged down. Her blonde mane was wild and unkempt. Yang didn't even bother to fix it and took a seat next to Ruby.

"Hey," Yang greeted.

Blake gave her a look of concern. "Hey."

 _She's acting casual,_ Blake observed. _I wonder what happened to her._

"Hey to you, too," Ruby spoke softly. "Are you feeling better?"

After Yang snapped at her yesterday, Ruby cut to the point. She wasn't sure if her older sister was in the mood to talk yet or not.

"Yeah, it's gone," Yang replied. "Sorry for snapping at you yesterday, Rubes."

Blake leaned in from across the table as a cat ear flicked. "What's gone?"

"Ah, the migraine," the blonde informed. "I was tired and had a raging migraine when I came home. Sorry if I came off as hostile. I just really needed to lay down."

As Taiyang pet the little corgi in his lap, he worriedly gazed at her. "You passed out not long after you came through the door."

"I did? My bad," Yang said like it was no big deal. "Guess I really couldn't stand it. Sorry about that."

"As long as you're okay now," Taiyang grinned. He stood from his chair and set Zwei on the floor. He was done eating his sandwich and didn't want to keep his daughter waiting. She was probably hungry. "Is there anything you need? What do you want to eat?"

"PB and J would be nice for once," Yang beamed.

"You got it," as Taiyang got to work, Blake and Ruby showered her with concerned gazes.

She didn't realize it, but her stomach was rumbling. It'd been a long time since she ate. How long had it been? Two days? She ate just before her and Weiss headed out to get some fuel. Majority of that time she was asleep. Hunger certainly caused the migraine to worsen. She wasn't too surprised that caused her to pass out.

Blake was more assertive, wanting to get to the bottom of it. "Are you going to tell us what happened?"

After she said that, amber orbs were keener than ever. Blake had an edge. She'd known Yang almost her entire life. She could tell when she's lying or not. The idiosyncrasies even Yang was unaware of. The way she lightly bites her bottom lip when she's nervous. Or spits her tongue out when she's focused.

"Yeah. Relax, Blakey. S'all good," Yang eased. "When I was on my run, I ran into my friend."

Ruby perked up. "Who?"

"I promised her I wouldn't tell anyone," Yang stated firmly. "I helped her with some… personal problems."

 _She paused,_ Blake observed. _Then again, she's trying to be vague. She clearly doesn't want us to know who it is, but I have an idea. Might as well try the upfront approach._

Blake's cat ears were alert. "It was Weiss, wasn't it?"

"No," Yang shot the thought down. "It wasn't the princess, so forget that."

 _Okay, ninety percent sure it was Weiss,_ the cat faunus thought. _She got defensive really quick._

To show her displeasure, Blake leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. She didn't look like she bought it one bit. Meanwhile, Ruby was convinced, but she wondered if it wasn't Weiss, then who was it?

A paper plate was placed in front of Yang, so she picked up her sandwich and took a large bite. After she swallowed, she beamed a grin at her father. "Thanks, dad! It's delish," maybe if she acted more chipper they'd be less suspicious and concerned.

"Anything for my little sun dragon," Taiyang said as he sat down at the end of the small four-person table. "I guess we don't _have_ to know who it was. Continue whenever you want."

Yang took his advice and chewed a few more bites. Tai just wanted his daughter to feel better. Prying for answers wouldn't do any good. When Yang was satisfied, she took a deep breath.

"Well," the blonde drawled. "I didn't 'run into' my friend. More like, I saw her from a distance and noticed she looked sad, so I went over to see what was up."

Amber eyes narrowed.

"She was sulking in the forest?" Blake asked, intrigued. Yang couldn't tell if it was genuine curiosity or an act to see just how far she could stretch the lie.

"She was almost crying," it was clear Yang was hesitant to say that, which made her come off as genuine. "She's the type to mask her emotions, so when she noticed I was there, she freaked."

"That sounds a lot like Weiss," Blake pointed out.

 _Although she's not the type to go to the forest to sulk,_ Blake thought. _Come to think of it, I've never seen her sad. She's pretty stoic._

"For the last time, it wasn't Weiss," Yang was starting to sound frustrated.

Damn, Blake was good.

"Sure, I'll humor you," the cat faunus smirked knowingly.

"Anyways," Yang droned. "I helped her out and ended up crashing at her place for the night."

 _Why does this sound like that's what really happened?_ Blake asked herself. _It's not like she was homeless for a night. She had to go somewhere._

Taiyang matched Yang's frustration. "You couldn't have texted us this?"

"You know I don't bring my phone with me on runs," Yang reminded.

Jogging allowed her to interact with nature. Listening to the wildlife was her favorite part of her runs. Her phone was a distraction.

"I still don't understand why you don't," Taiyang stated. "What if you actually get kidnapped?"

Yang understood that. Her father worrying for his precious daughter. Since she was trying to cook up a good lie, she had to act like herself to cause less suspicion. From the looks of it, Blake was reading her like a book. Damn her habit of reading books.

"Please, I can take anyone," Yang stated haughtily.

"You may be strong, but you're not invincible," Taiyang reminded. "What'd you do over at her house? That doesn't explain why you passed out."

Yang simply shrugged. "I didn't get much sleep Thursday or Friday. It caught up to me."

"Exhaustion," Blake mumbled.

She accepted that explanation. Yesterday, her friend looked like she hadn't slept in months, but part of her felt like there was another factor. No sleep for two days wouldn't take someone strong out like Yang.

Ruby pointed to her older sister's head. "What about your migraine?"

"Exhaustion and migraines can go hand-in-hand, Rubes," Yang informed. "Again, sorry to worry you all over nothing."

"It's not nothing," Taiyang stated. When it comes to his daughters, everything is important. Especially their health. "We're just really glad you're okay. And that girl is, I hope?"

"Yeah, she's fine now," the brawler smiled. "This girl… she's amazing. She's been through so much and still does her best every single day. After all the hardships she's been through, she keeps her head high. She's always confident and sure of herself-"

Unintentionally, Yang rambled about how great she thought Weiss was. She bit her lip, knowing Blake knew the girl she was talking about was in fact Weiss. Lilac hesitantly met amber orbs. The smirk was her answer.

 _Yang, are you trying to make me call you out?_ Blake thought in amusement. _Being sly was never one of your qualities. For your sake, I'll stay quiet for now. You must have a good reason to cover this up. I just wish I knew what it was._

Taiyang broadly smiled. "She's lucky to have a great friend like you." He was proud of how his daughters turned out. All great people. People he was immensely proud of.

"I try to be there for everyone," Yang stated. "That goes for you guys, too."

As the blonde beamed her signature smile, Blake couldn't help but wonder.

 _But can we be there for you?_

* * *

Since there was nothing to do inside her home, Weiss decided to sit outside in the garden. The garden was in her backyard, so she didn't have to venture far.

The aroma of the flowers and vegetation sent her into a state of bliss. The birds' chirps sounded like a sweet melody. The bumblebees buzzed around the plants. It was a shame it wasn't like this in winter. It was her favorite thing her home could offer besides a spacious training room.

The white lilies reminded her of her mom. She remembered that they were her favorite flower and even decorated her room with a few. Weiss vividly recalled her mother having a few lilies on her desk whenever she'd wander inside her office as a child.

She sat at a table with an umbrella above, guarding her from the harmful rays. After she sipped on her green tea, she sighed out of mostly relief. This was the one day she had nothing to do. Time for herself. Her assignments were finished.

And she was alone.

After fighting an army of grimm and waking up in the temple, she decided a day of rest was in order. Perhaps this was for the best. She needed some time to cool down. If her and Yang were going to get the next relic, they had to be in top shape. She wasn't going to drag them down if she could help it.

Speaking of Yang, she hadn't texted back.

 _I wonder how she's doing. It's been a whole day since I've heard from her._

She would have texted Ruby or Blake, but didn't want to raise suspicion. She was unaware of the story Yang undoubtedly fabricated.

 _I hope she's okay-_

Her phone chimed. Instantly, Weiss picked up her phone off the aluminum table.

 **Helllloooo princess~**

From the first line, Weiss already playfully rolled her eyes. Yang.

 **are you all good? I am now! I feel way better after sleeping for half a day. The migraine's gone. Still have a slight ache though.**

For some reason, the world felt like it was off her shoulders.

 **I tried to stay awake until you got home but couldn't. Don't worry, my fam accepted my story for the most part. Except Blake. She's one keen kitty. Nothing gets by her.**

 _Blake's suspicious?_ Weiss thought. _If she is, then Ruby might be. The brute. How idiotic of a story did she give? If Blake didn't buy it, I can't imagine Mr. Xiao Long accepting it. This might be troublesome._

 **Call me later if you want. Ik how much you worry ;D**

Typical way for Yang to end a message. The whole text caused her heart to smile.

 _Her family has taken care of her,_ Weiss fondly thought. _Seems like nothing drastic happened on her end._

"Weiss."

She was so absorbed in the message that she failed to notice him approach.

"Klein!" Weiss exclaimed in exasperation. This was a nice surprise. "What brings you here?"

Normally, he was serving her high maintenance father or annoying brother. Rarely did he have time for her. Weiss didn't like to 'use' him as a butler, even though that's exactly why he worked at the mansion in the first place.

The butler adorned his signature mustache and had an empty plate in hand. Probably just finished serving a member of her family.

"I haven't seen you smile like that in a while," Klein observed.

"Wha-" the priestess was left speechless.

Little did she know, she was smiling at her phone. Yang had a knack for making her happy.

 _The brute…_

"It's nothing important," Weiss dismissed. "I'm so happy to see you. Even though we live here we hardly see each other."

Klein let out a small snort. "It is a tragedy. I just finished serving master Whitley when I saw you through the window. I wanted to ask you a question."

That perked Weiss up. "Anything, Klein."

"What was the reason for your absence yesterday?" Klein asked.

Weiss was left to ponder. It was obvious that this had been on her precious butler's mind since then. Of course he was worried. This man was more of a father to her than her biological father. However, Weiss didn't think anyone at home would notice her absence. Especially since she didn't see Klein every day, so she never prepared an explanation.

If Klein noticed-

"Does father know?" Weiss asked.

"No, don't worry," Klein immediately replied. "He was too absorbed in his work to notice and master Whitley keeps to himself most of the time. However, normally I find you in the training room practicing your fencing, but you weren't there yesterday."

The priestess wasn't at all surprised that her precious butler sometimes sneaked a few peaks at her fencing practices. In fact, she was touched. "I'm sorry I worried you. I was with a friend."

"The one who texted you just now?" Klein asked, which caused Weiss to blush.

"Yes," she replied firmly.

"Anyone who can make you smile is good in my book," Klein grinned. "Keep her, she seems like a nice girl."

"She really is."

* * *

 **Dammit Yang you and your lovable personality!**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	12. Pain Smiles Can't Erase

There was the last chime of the school bell. Students rushed to their lockers to head home. At last, everyone's enemy- Monday- was over.

Weiss had no plans to go home anytime soon. Most of the day was planned so that she'd avoid her home. With her luck, she and a friend were assigned a project together.

"Hiya, Weissy!" Ruby greeted. "How was your AP class?"

"Not too bad," Weiss replied. "We didn't get much homework for once."

"Whew," Ruby said. "Now we can a hundred percent focus on our project."

"I'm overjoyed," Weiss replied blandly.

It was then that Blake slipped into the conversation. After she was done packing she turned her attention to her friends. "I'll try to not let Yang distract you two," she said, no humor in her tone.

"It'd be appreciated," the priestess stated.

"Yang just wants company," Ruby defended her.

Blake just stared at Ruby. "She can handle it for a few hours. I'll be her company for the day. I know she won't complain."

Ruby giggled from that. "If there's one thing you know how to do, it's distracting her."

Blake nodded in agreement. "You two just focus on the project. And Weiss, try not to let Dad overwhelm you. He hasn't seen you in forever."

Weiss smiled from the mention of him. "I miss Mr. Xiao Long. Does he still make snacks every day after school?"

"Never misses a day," Ruby beamed. "I dunno how he does it."

"He must really care a lot about you," Weiss said, fondness laced in her voice.

Blake just watched her shorter friend smile. Why did she say that with a tint of sadness? Shrugging it off, Blake glanced around. There were still plenty of students in the hallways. Curious amber orbs failed to catch a glimmer of yellow. This was her chance.

"I want to ask you a few questions, Weiss."

From the revelation, Weiss focused more on the faunus. Her body turned more toward her and less on Ruby.

 _Her reactions will tell me everything,_ Blake thought. _This may be a tough challenge. Weiss is a master at the poker face._

It sounded like Blake had been itching to ask this. With confidence, Weiss gazed at the faunus.

"Go ahead."

Oh, she knew _exactly_ what this would be about.

"What happened to Yang over the weekend?" Blake asked bluntly. She didn't even ask if Weiss had been with her, just confidently assumed that her white-haired friend would know. "She claimed to stay at a friend's house on Friday night, but Saturday she came home and passed out."

The last comment took Weiss by surprise. "She passed out?"

 _She didn't know that,_ Blake observed as a cat ear flickered. _That was genuine surprise. Her tone raised a few octaves._

Blake nodded. "Before she went upstairs. She couldn't even make it to the bed."

"That was scary," Ruby commented as she recalled her sister's form tipping backward.

It was then that Weiss recalled a text she received from the brawler.

 **I tried to stay awake until you got home but couldn't.**

Yang told her without telling her. Probably to prevent her from worrying.

Blake continued. "I'd just like to know why she feels the need to lie."

Skillfully, Weiss neither denied nor entertained her subtle accusations. It was clear Blake was aware her white-haired friend knew something she didn't.

"Yang wouldn't lie without good reason," Weiss defended. "You know that if she could tell you, she would."

"Ohhh," Ruby mumbled. "Maybe she has a secret double life!"

Weiss had never fought harder to keep her poker face. Amber eyes were glued to her expression. The dolt's comical comment was ironically accurate.

"Don't be ridiculous, dolt," the priestess said. "You really think someone like the brute could keep something like that quiet?

As Blake watched the pair chat, she was lost in thought.

 _There's no other person it could've been. Am I overthinking this? Maybe what Weiss said is true. Yang probably had to lie, but why? Should I just drop this?_

There was something about the feline curiosity in her that refused to let the matter go. Watching her precious friend collapse was frightening. Maybe she just wanted someone or something to blame. Did she want to find out for a good cause? Or just herself for personal reasons?

Either way, it was clear that Weiss wanted to move on from the subject. She went out of her way to avoid the cat faunus' gaze. Azure eyes were trained to Ruby's own as they conversed.

 _She's in on it,_ Blake concluded. _I won't be able to find out anything if they don't flat out tell me. For now, I'll let it go as a sign of trust. They'd appreciate it._

"Hello~" Yang's voice beamed as she slung her arms around Blake and Ruby's shoulders. "Glad ya didn't leave without me!"

Ruby fondly grabbed the hand that rested on her shoulder. "We waited for you."

"My Rubes is so thoughtful."

Gently, Blake placed a hand on the taller girl's shoulder. Concerned amber met lilac. "How's the headache?"

"S'all good now," the blonde reassured. "Could've sworn I felt it coming back in Port's class."

That caused Blake to let slip a chuckle. "Let's be honest, anyone can get a headache in his class."

Yang nodded. "I'm rested and took some meds," she said loudly, making sure her friends knew she was okay. "Even after a day of school I'm good!"

"Thank goodness…" Weiss murmured.

It was just low enough so only Blake caught the entire comment. The hallway was still littered with students, so it was hard to hear. Yang only heard little pieces and then adorned the widest grin.

"What's that?" Yang leaned down to get at her height. "Is the princess worried for a brute such as myself?"

Irritated, Weiss crossed her arms. "I said no such thing."

 _You're so full of it,_ Blake thought.

"You excited to see Zwei?" Yang smirked. "I swear, it's like he asks me almost every night where you are!"

"Why do you think I'm going to your place?" Weiss asked. "The project is a facade."

From that, Ruby snickered. "You're just using us, but if it's for Zwei I understand."

"Glad you see it my way," Weiss jokingly agreed.

Yang feigned a sigh. "How could I forget? You like Zwei more than any of us."

"Accurate."

Ruby puffed her cheeks. "You didn't even try to deny it!"

"Why deny the truth?"

Blake only observed her friends, finding that ironic.

 _Yes, why deny the truth?_

* * *

The moment the four girls entered the humble abode, the excited corgi zipped to the door.

"Zwei!" with open arms, Weiss knelt to greet the giddy ball of fur.

With his tail wagging mercilessly, Zwei leaped directly into her arms. Normally, he would give all his owners some loving, but it was clear he was overjoyed with the unexpected arrival.

On the floor, Weiss scooped the little corgi in her arms. She peppered him with doting kisses. If she was wearing lipstick, marks would be all over the precious pupper's face. He excitedly panted and licked her in return. With each exchange came a series of cooes and giggles.

"Who's a good boy?" Weiss cooed. "Who's a gooooooooood boy?"

A yip.

"That's right! You are! Yes you are!"

Blake fondly watched the scene. It'd been a long time since her dog got this excited about something. "He clearly missed you."

"It's been too long," Weiss sadly replied, but turned to mush when she received another lick. This caused her to giggle like a child as she lovingly stroked his fur.

"Mush," was all Yang said with a smile. "You're mush."

Weiss ignored her words and continued to fawn over the pup. Yang never got used to this. Every time she watched her melt, it sent her heart soaring. It wasn't often that she saw this side of Weiss, which is mainly why she was looking forward to having her over.

When the little cuddle session was over, the girls walked into the kitchen with Zwei prancing behind. Taiyang was in his apron making some after school snacks. Now that they thought about it, the house smelled of chocolate and dough.

"Cookies!" Ruby exclaimed.

"Your favorite," Taiyang said as he pulled some out of the oven.

When he turned around, he was shocked to see that they had company. Instantly, he set the sheet pan on the marble island.

"Weiss!"

"It's nice to see you again," Weiss greeted with a curtsey.

His blue eyes were practically sparkling. It'd been so long since he last saw her! Unable to help himself, he approached her with open arms.

With a smile, Weiss returned the embrace as she stood on her tiptoes. It was odd to have an older male role model. The only other one she adored was Klein. She never looked up to her own father. To her, it was strange to be viewed as one of his daughters when her own father wouldn't give her the time of day. Despite that, she always cherished this man and his family.

They were lucky.

The hug was warm and full of love. There was this feeling of protectiveness. It was strikingly similar to Yang's hugs if she wasn't crushing her to death.

"Aw how sweet," Yang commented.

After they pulled apart, Weiss slightly smiled. "It's been a while, Mr. Xiao Long."

From that, Taiyang gave her a look.

Weiss sighed and then cleared her throat. "Tai."

"Much better," he nodded to himself.

"What can I say? Old habits die hard."

"You guys didn't tell me she was coming over," Taiyang said happily. "I would've made something she likes!"

Yang shrugged. "We figured you'd like the surprise."

"You're not wrong," Tai replied. "What would you like to eat, Weiss?"

"That's not necessary but thank you for the offer," Weiss dipped her head.

She almost forgot how hospitable he was. It was really nice and welcoming.

"Really?" Taiyang asked. "When they get home they're vacuums."

Yang took this as her chance. "Cuz we all suck."

"Yang!" Taiyang chided. "I was going for that joke!"

"You've told it a million times! Please spare Weiss the pain!"

"Guuuuuys," Ruby whined. "You're both awful."

Yang spoke in a dramatic tone. "I feel my headache comin' back."

"Oh ha-ha," Taiyang replied with a playful eye roll.

After Weiss tried in vein to stifle a giggle, Taiyang smiled at her.

"If you need anything let me know."

God, Weiss missed this.

"Will do."

With that, Ruby and Weiss retreated to the kitchen table to get to work. Multiple textbooks, their laptops, and pencils scoured the area. Surprisingly, Ruby was very focused. After she had her fill of cookies, she was in the zone. Weiss could understand that. Sometimes she needed her fix- tea- to motivate herself to do something.

Overall, Weiss wasn't surprised by her work ethic. When Ruby wanted to, she did well in school. That is, whenever she wasn't goofing around.

"We should start on this chapter," Ruby pointed to a page in the textbook. There was only black and white print. "If we understand the concepts well enough in this section then a good grade is all ours."

"Good thinking, Ruby," Weiss praised. "I've taken notes, so if there are things you find confusing just use my notebook. I've simplified the concepts."

"Of course you already did," Ruby grinned. She had a great partner for this assignment. "Which sections of the writing portion do you wanna do?"

"I'm comfortable with any," Weiss said. "It's really your choice."

"Then we'll split it so it's fifty-fifty," Ruby suggested. "Sound good, partner?"

That word…

She'd only heard Yang call her that before. And that was fairly recent. It was not long after she woke up in the temple. Just after they obtained the second relic. For some reason, it wasn't the same when Ruby said 'partner.' When Yang did that one time, there was a serene wave of emotions that coursed through her. Like that word felt so right.

When she felt her cheeks heat up, she realized she wasn't thinking about what was in front of her. The project. Determined to focus, Weiss kept her eyes glued to the pages of her textbook.

A few minutes went by in silence besides the ticking of the clock. Within that time, the girls successfully outlined the project. The requirements, where to find the information on which pages, explanations, and even added ideas for imagery to make it more creative. Going above and beyond would earn them higher marks for sure.

Just when Ruby was about to ask her a question, Yang walked over to the pair.

"Got room for one more-"

Out of nowhere, Blake intercepted her by grabbing her hand and dragged her away. "Nope."

"Hey, wait!"

"It's my job to make sure you don't distract them," Blake stated.

"They assigned you to pull me away!?"

"Weiss' idea," Blake revealed. "She knows you way too well."

"Agh dammit, princess!" Yang yelped as she was dragged into the living room.

Blake was hoping to distract her from distracting them with T.V. It might work. It has to.

About an hour went by. Ruby and Weiss exchanged conversation every now and then. When their cups of water drained, Taiyang took the liberty of refilling them. When he placed the cups on the table, he sat next to Ruby.

"Can you girls afford a little break?" he asked. "You've been working hard."

The partners glanced amongst themselves and shrugged.

"Why not?" Ruby said.

"I just want to catch up with Weiss a little bit," Taiyang stated.

That comment caught Weiss off guard, although she wasn't _too_ surprised. Taiyang was a personable guy and always expressed interest in her life. Like a father to his child.

"How's Winter?" Taiyang asked. "Have you heard from her?"

That caused a genuine smile to spread on her lips. "The military is treating her well. I don't hear from her as often as I'd like, but I understand that she's busy."

"Winter's pretty cool," Ruby commented. "I've only met her once but she gave off this 'I'm so important' vibe. And she's like an older version of you!"

"Yes," Weiss agreed. "She's, as you said, 'pretty cool.'"

"That's good to hear," Tai replied. "What about Whitley and your Dad?"

The mention of them caused her to force the smile.

"They're decent," was all Weiss could say.

She didn't want to comment anything else about them specifically. Too much information would cause them unnecessarily worry. Talking about her home life in this home was almost suffocating. It reminded her of the things she didn't have in this warm atmosphere.

"I'm glad everyone's in good health," Taiyang replied. He sensed she didn't want to talk about them any longer and dropped it. "How's being the heiress going? Schnee Energy?"

One of the many causes of all her problems. The very last thing she'd ever want to talk about with anyone. Being the daughter of a man who owns a multi-billion energy company isn't what people make it out to be.

"It's fine," Weiss forced another smile to avoid causing him to worry.

Ruby nodded. "It's gotta be a lot of work."

"Hardly."

All of the pain her smile failed to erase rushed back and nearly knocked her over.

* * *

 **There are lyrics mentioned from a song called Cross the Line by Amalee.** " **All of the pain my smile failed to erase rushes back to me and nearly knocks me back."**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	13. How Did It End Up Like This?

Listening to doctor Oobleck ramble at a thousand miles an hour never stopped being a challenge. The man was the embodiment of caffeine. He was pacing back and forth nonstop while his mouth ran. Occasionally, he'd call out a few students for answers to questions he presented.

However, some students- the majority- could barely understand him. Ruby tried to pay attention, she really did. But his voice almost coaxed her to sleep. There might've been some drool… so far, she struggled to keep her head up in a desperate attempt to make it look like she was listening.

Blake had given up on taking notes in his class weeks ago. Her strategy was to use her enhanced hearing. Her cat ears under her bow flickered constantly as he darted around the room. She made notes on which points he presented repeatedly and made sure to go over those later.

Weiss was stubbornly trying to jot every word down. This was the only notebook she had that was a sloppy cursive from writing at the speed of light. She always felt defeated after walking out of this class. It was a miracle she maintained a good grade.

Meanwhile, Yang set her hand under her chin in disinterest. She wasn't even trying. Her lilac gaze was empty like she was staring into space. She constantly looked directly in front of her, not at all following her professor. Probably daydreaming.

It felt like forever since class started, but it'd only been ten minutes.

Suddenly, the speakers from the intercom chimed in the corner of the room. Oobleck was cut off as he looked up to the speakers. It was Ms. Goodwitch's voice that boomed through the room.

"I need Ms. Xiao Long and Ms. Schnee to come to the office _immediately_."

Collective "oohs" rang out like they were in trouble. Glynda certainly worded it like this wasn't anything good. Then again, that's how she normally sounds.

"Thank god…" Yang whispered. "We're free."

"Yang," Ruby whispered back. "What'd you do?"

"Did we do something wrong?" Weiss asked. "I've been nothing but a model student."

She tried to think of things she might've done that _might_ get her in trouble, but came up blank. There was this one time she ran in the halls because she was late, but she was pretty sure no one saw her. For the most part, she obeyed Beacon Academy's rules and even enforced them.

"I'm sure it's nothin' bad," the blonde said confidently.

The brawler's self-assurance was enough to ease Weiss' nerves a little.

"You heard her, students!" Oobleck exclaimed. "Go on, we will discuss what you missed when you come back!"

With that, Yang and Weiss stood with all eyes on them. Blake and Ruby exchanged worried glances as their friends silently left the room.

The moment the door slid shut, Yang stretched her arms out around her head with a grin. The two walked in the vacant halls, heading directly for the headmaster's office.

"Isn't this nice? Missing class with yours truly?" Yang asked in a chipper tune.

"You're not worried at all?" Weiss wanted to clarify.

"Nah," the blonde waved off.

"Typical brute."

When Yang was done stretching, she let out a satisfied yawn. "Hey, I was dyin' in there. Everyone else was, too. Try not to be your usual worried self. Since Glyn's the one who called us I highly doubt this is something to worry about. She's pulled this crap before with me."

Slightly, Weiss tilted her head. "Does she normally pull you out of class?"

"Not often," Yang stated. "Wish it was more often. Especially for Port's class."

As the two walked side-by-side, Weiss kept her gaze firmly ahead. "Do you think this is about the third relic?"

"Maybe," Yang couldn't deny the possibility. "It'd have to be a really weird circumstance."

"And this isn't?"

"Good point," Yang conceded.

After a heavy sigh, Weiss grit her teeth in frustration. "We are not getting the third relic right now. I am not missing school to fulfill otherworldly duties."

"Try to relax," Yang soothed. "Glyn probably just needs a favor or something. You're getting worked up over nothing."

"For once, I hope you're right."

"Gee, thanks."

Finally, the two approached the office. After Weiss knocked to announce their arrival, they went inside. It was a spacious room filled with framed academic achievements. Typical. What wasn't ordinary was the oddly shaped chair that faced the opposite direction and looked out the windows.

"Goooooodbitch," Yang drawled like she was looking for her dog. "We're here!"

Suddenly, the oddly shaped chair spun around. The headmaster was revealed to be sitting in it the whole time as his hard stare met their gazes.

"For a sec I thought you'd be stroking a cat," Yang joked. "You know, like in those weird action movies before they get a missio-"

Weiss quickly jabbed her side, which elicited a soft yelp.

"I-I mean hi, Oz!" Yang greeted. "You needed to speak with us?"

After Ozpin set his coffee mug on the table, he spoke.

"I'll be blunt."

Weiss gave a curt nod. "We'd appreciate that."

"A nevermore has ventured too close to the school. If it comes any closer, it may disrupt the peace. I need you to take care of it."

"What?!" Yang yelped. "Seriously?!"

From her partner's reaction, Weiss could tell this wasn't good. Ozpin only nodded from the outburst.

"Those things are a pain in the ass!" Yang exclaimed. "Especially if you're alone!"

She recalled the last time she was summoned to take out a nevermore. It was a grueling process and left her exhausted. It took her a couple of days to replenish her aura. Then again, the last time she faced the intimidating beast was her first time. She definitely learned from experience.

"You have a partner now," Ozpin pointed out.

Eyes landed on Weiss, who adorned a confused expression.

"What is a nevermore?"

"A giant, screeching overgrown bird," Yang explained, groaning from having to deal with a nevermore. "The most annoying grimm to deal with."

"Bigger than alpha beowolves?"

" _Way_ bigger than alpha beowolves."

That stunned Weiss into silence. Grimm bigger than alphas? She could only imagine. Were the two really ready to take on something of that stature? They could barely handle three alphas.

"Headmaster, do you think we're ready?" Weiss questioned. "I'll be honest, I don't like missing classes to fulfill my role as a priestess."

"I appreciate your bluntness, Ms. Schnee. You're excused from classes for however long this takes you two. Everything has been taken care of," Ozpin revealed. "Understand that this is a rare occurrence and will most likely not happen again any time soon. Academics should always come first, which is why I was hoping you two could protect my school so no other students may miss class."

Technically, someone had to do it. Just her luck.

"You want us to be your exterminators?" Weiss phrased.

Yang was taken aback by that. That was one way of putting it. She definitely didn't even fathom that the Weiss Schnee, rule follower extraordinaire, would sass the headmaster. Clearly, she had a problem with missing classes.

Weiss continued. "Why can't you handle it?"

"I'm needed here," Ozpin stated. "Outside school hours is fair game."

"Very well."

No point arguing now. The sooner this was done with, the sooner she could get back to class.

After his students accepted it, Ozpin explained the situation. "The nevermore has made a nest close to the school, so it has no intentions of leaving. The nest is located in the Emerald Forest to the left of the really large cliff."

"Alright, we'll get on it," Yang replied. "I'll text you when it's done."

"Good luck."

Luckily, Yang knew exactly which cliff he was referring to. After the partners gave him polite nods, they left and went to their lockers. Weiss knelt and removed her jacket. Hidden underneath was her rapier and she pulled it out. After, she strapped it to her skirt. Yang retrieved her brass knuckles, which were behind a few textbooks. The partners thought ahead of time in case a situation like this were to arise. They were sure to have their weapons with them at all times. Even though grimm stopped appearing in the school, they didn't want to take any chances.

Yang and Weiss walked together, ready to go. All they had to do was get there.

"Are nevermores really that big?" Weiss asked in disbelief.

"Yep," Yang said and popped the 'p.' "It's like… fifteen alphas big."

Weiss just rolled her eyes. Certainly, her partner was exaggerating.

"Hey!"

A deep, commanding voice. One that was familiar and so frightening that it caused the two to halt in the hallway. They slowly turned around and realized it was professor Port who had a panicked expression.

"Weapons aren't allowed in school!"

With a bead of sweat rolling down her face, Yang glanced down at her brass knuckles that she'd already put on. Weiss simply patted the rapier that was attached to her skirt.

Woops.

"Professor," Weiss greeted in a bargaining tone. "We- uh, have permission."

"Spare me your excuses!" Port used a panicked voice. "Drop the weapons right now!"

The partners only stood there in shock. It's not like they were going to attack him like some murderers!

It was then that Ms. Goodwitch appeared from nowhere and stepped in front of the girls. Her stone cold gaze pried into Port's old soul.

"They're with me. Ozpin and I have permitted them to carry these items in school."

"Wha…" was all Port could mumble.

Yang and Weiss smiled at their savior.

"Now, if you don't mind," Glynda pushed up her glasses. "We were just leaving."

With that, the three turned around and sped walked through the halls.

"Sorry about that," Glynda said. "We haven't sent the teachers emails to warn them."

"Alright, Goodbitch," Yang cheered in a low whisper. "That's what I'm talkin' about."

Glynda glowered at the tall girl. "Don't call me that in school, buffoon."

Weiss scowled. "To think I almost got expelled. This better not be a regular occurrence."

"The email would be in case, Ms. Schnee. Do not be alarmed."

With that, Glynda guided them out the front doors of the school without another incident. Before the doors closed shut, the professor peered out.

"Try not to let it come back here."

Yang playfully rolled her eyes. "Such wise words."

After the doors shut, Yang and Weiss headed to the forest. It was close by, which is why the broom for transportation wasn't needed. The Emerald Forest was less than a mile behind the Beacon High.

"Don't use your purification ability," Yang suggested. "You were wiped out after the beowolves. I can't imagine how you'd feel if you used it on a nevermore."

"A grimm's size is definitely a factor to my exhaustion," Weiss admitted. "I can't make any promises, but I'll try."

"Good enough."

* * *

Currently, Weiss was crouched in a thicket of bushes.

Dirt splotched all over the uniform. Her shoes were sinking in mud. Despite getting dirtied below, the treetops were a gorgeous, vibrant pink.

The large nevermore, the biggest black mass of a grimm she'd ever seen, was a deep contrast to the area around it. As she kept a firm eye on the demon of a bird, her hand never left her rapier that was strapped to her side.

 _How did it end up like this?_

The priestess cursed herself. There was no way she could go back to school looking like this. Twigs were stuck in her hair and her skirt was muddy.

Every now and then, the giant bird twitched its head. This caused her to crouch lower.

 _Yang was right. The thing is massive. It's like a mini tower. She took one of these down by herself? Impressive._

When the monster's head turned away, Weiss crept closer. Each step was silent as she prowled to its form. This was a game of patience. Urgency only added to this, considering the nevermore could fly away at any moment and ruin the plan and hard work. The last half hour of stalking would be a waste if she blew this now.

 _Blake would be better at this than I am,_ Weiss thought. _She's the stealthy one in the group. I'm surprised I've made it this far._

She supposed she owed it to the long grass and other vegetation. That definitely protected her small form. Since there was a breeze, that also covered any sound she made by accident.

The pitch-black wings- her target- rested on the ground as the nevermore was perched on a hill. Its nest wasn't too far away. It seemed as though the beast was simply enjoying the calm sun. Red eyes peered directly at the orange orb in the sky.

It was a long, arduous process to get close enough to the nevermore without making a peep. By the time Weiss was within a meter of one of its wings, her knees ached from the strain.

 _This is it._

With her adrenaline pumping, she gave the signal.

Instantly, she simultaneously stood and twirled, gathering enough force to thrust her rapier deeply within its wing. The nevermore screeched to the heavens as she ran like hell. As she sprinted away, the beast's free wing swept threateningly close to her. Like an expert, Weiss flipped over the massive wing and tumbled to the side.

Now that the grimm had trouble flying away, Yang gave a war cry as she jumped out of a nearby tree. She plummeted several feet as she cocked her fist back and rocketed a punch to its beak. It sounded like glass shattering from the impact. The jab was so powerful that it stunned the beast for several crucial seconds.

"Take this!" Yang yelped.

During that time, the brawler targeted its free wing. If the grimm could start flying, that'd be it. They'd be done for. They had to incapacitate it as soon as possible. Otherwise, it might get away or have the advantage if it chose to fight.

"Yang!" Weiss called.

"Already on it!"

When its free wing was severely damaged and contorted, Yang focused on the other wing for good measure. This grimm would never fly again if she could handle it.

Weiss was already slashing the free wing repeatedly, which earned more ear-shattering squawks. The beast writhed in violent spasms, which made it difficult to aim. When Yang hopped the free wing, Weiss hiked upward.

To the weak spot.

With precision, she hoisted her rapier in one of its red eyes. The result was red specks that leaked out. It wasn't blood, but more of a mist. All the grimm could do was shriek and shake, which caused the ground to tremble. Any nearby wildlife fled the area to avoid the violent tremors. It was so intense that Weiss lost the grip on her rapier and fell.

"Weiss!" Yang yelped as she watched helplessly.

Weiss let out a high-pitched yelp as the shattered beak pried open. She didn't know how to describe it. It was light outside, but then it was dark and damp. Total blackness. Whatever she was sitting on was wet and slimy. The air here was moist and humid. Where the hell was she?

Before she realized it, there was a stream of light that beamed directly on her. It was Yang, who had pried open the beak. Before Weiss could process what was happening, Yang forcefully yanked on her arm and tossed her out.

As a result, Weiss took a vicious tumble from several feet high and braced herself for impact. She rang out aura and protected her head as she slammed onto the ground and unsuspecting insects. She gasped as the wind was knocked out of her.

It didn't take her long to gain her bearings. Quickly, she stood and noticed that there was a lump in the large bird's throat. That lump was viciously vibrating from all sides and was sliding down at a rapid rate.

"Yang!"

In a sprint, Weiss grabbed one of the beast's wings and hung on for dear life. She had to concentrate over the harsh yelps of the grimm. Not only that, but it was also squirming.

In one large burst, the priestess' aura corrupted the beast. Its form that once emanated darkness was overwhelmed by the white light. It took all her aura to force the beast to wither away into nothingness.

She remembered not getting enough air, and then darkness.

…

"-ss?" someone was shaking her. "W-?"

This scent. It was familiar. An aroma she loved. It was sweet like honey, but it was also mixed with a gross smell. That part wasn't familiar.

It was warm.

Was she in someone's arms?

Something told her to find out as soon as possible.

Azure pools hazily opened to notice that it was indeed Yang who was worriedly gazing down at her. Yang kept a firm grip and tried to keep her from moving and blocked the sun.

"Are you okay?" Yang asked, lilac orbs scanned over the priestess to make sure she was okay.

"I should be asking _you_ that."

Without warning, Weiss threw her arms around her concerned partner. Yang just sat there, having not expected it. Slowly, she leaned in and accepted the hug with the biggest grin. It was heartwarming until Weiss recoiled from the sheer amount of slime on her partner's back.

Yang attempted a dry laugh. "That ruined the moment, huh?"

Weiss didn't know what to do with her fingers, so she wiped them on the grass. "You think?"

For a moment, Yang simply smiled down at her.

"Here, let me help."

After Yang beamed a smile, she coaxed her to sit up.

From the small movement, Weiss panted harshly. She was completely out of breath and felt her whole body ache in protest. "I feel like I ran... a marathon."

"Thanks for that, by the way," Yang said sincerely, feeling her heart thunder in her ribcage. "I know it takes a lot out of you."

"I wasn't going to let you... be bird food."

Not one to show weakness, Weiss got out of Yang's grasp and stood.

"H-hey!" Yang yelped.

"I can stand on my..."

Multiple pants cut her off and a frustrated grunt rang out. Weiss collapsed to her knees, unable to accomplish the simple feat of just standing.

Yang joined her on the grass and chided her softly. "W-hoa, easy!"

Several seconds went by as Weiss gulped the air greedily. Yang watched her in concern. A gentle hand was on the small of her back while the other was around her shoulders. Beneath her palm, Yang could feel her heartbeat thundering against her ribcage as she breathed heavily.

Weiss kept her head down, noticing how green the grass was while trying not to pass out.

"I'm sorry…"

"Don't worry about it. Just breathe, alright?" Yang encouraged, rubbing circles on her back. "Focus on that and nothing else. I got you."

Determined, Weiss did what her partner advised and concentrated on her breathing. After several minutes, her breaths became less desperate. The whole time, Yang never stopped tracing circles on her back.

After a deep breath, Weiss leaned up.

"You okay now?"

"I'm better," Weiss reassured.

"Alright, here we go."

Together, the two stood. Yang never took her hands off her. Good thing she didn't because it was clear that the shorter girl was straining as she stumbled. Leaving no room for protest, Yang scooped her up bridal style. This elicited a high-pitched squeal.

"W-what're you doing? Put me down!"

At first, Weiss tried to wiggle out of her arms, but she was completely drained. She had no chance against Yang's strong grip. The moment she was in her arms, alarm bells sounded in Yang's head. Her partner's heartbeat was still going too fast for comfort. The strain of simply standing wore her out just now.

"I need you to slow your heartbeat down, okay? Do it for me," Yang said softly. "Just relax and let me handle this."

"Fine," there was no point in protesting, so Weiss accepted her fate and her stiff muscles loosened. "Where are we going?"

Certainly, they weren't going back to school looking like this.

"My place," Yang stated as she began walking. "We need to wash off."

From that, Weiss' face flushed crimson as she shyly looked away. Her head shifted against Yang's arm, which caused Yang to look down at her with a small smile.

"Not together. Get your head outta the gutter," Yang joked. "Although, I'm all for it as long as it's with you."

Lucky for her, Weiss had no energy to retort.

"Brute..."

There was a slight vibration in Yang's chest. Like she just chuckled.

But Weiss was too tired to keep her eyes open anymore. Too tired to sort anything out. Too tired to worry about missing class. Her eyelids grew heavy. Yang was so warm. The arms around her were solid and real. She heard Yang say something, but her voice was far away like remnants of a dream.

Fondly, Yang gazed down at her partner's resting face.

She had the tiniest of smiles.

* * *

 **Squeal.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	14. Worth It

It was rough missing a few classes the day Yang and Weiss were summoned by the headmaster.

By now, it'd been a few days since they took down the giant nevermore. The girls finally caught up on the workload they'd missed. It was tough to juggle the missed assignments with current ones, but doable. Their grades didn't suffer since Ozpin had their backs. Not to mention that they protected the school from a threat, so it was worth it. Especially since it didn't affect their everyday lives.

It wasn't just homework that they worried about. It took several hours to wash the stench off. Technically, both girls were, at one point, inside the nevermore's mouth. Yang even slid down the throat before Weiss caused it to disintegrate. The aftermath was horrifying to deal with. Slime was all over their clothes and clung to their hair, almost staining skin. No matter how much they washed, it felt as though they still smelled like dumpsters.

It wasn't that bad, in fact, they were probably just being paranoid. Being coated in that much goop was disgusting. Worrying about the smell wouldn't do any good. And masking it with sprays would only make it worse, so the partners elected to use their daily hygienic routine.

That was the least of their problems.

Ruby and Weiss still had to present that project. Aside from that one day they worked together on it, they finished their own sections and stitched last minute details together. It was preferable to work in person, but due to conflicting schedules and the nevermore incident, they mostly worked at home alone on it.

The result was as good as it could've been. Nothing remarkable, but certainly good enough for a high grade. Ruby covered the basic process of how a cell performs Mitosis, while Weiss explained that in more detail along with some required key terms.

For the powerpoint, Ruby was responsible for the colorful imagery. She took pride in having drawn the step-by-step processes herself. To professor Goodwitch, that detail was what stuck out above all else. The fact that one of her students used her precious time to sketch and demonstrate a complicated process in order for the audience to better understand the presentation.

As Yang watched her baby sister speak, she was in awe. She always knew her sister was a great doodler, but had no clue she was phenomenal with illustrative pieces.

While Weiss was explaining the topic with clarity, her eyes trailed to the audience. Unfortunately, they landed on Yang, who started to make funny faces to throw her off. Now she knows how Goodwitch feels when she tries to teach. All Weiss could do was frown then send a quick glance to Ms. Goodwitch without losing her speaking stride or poise. The intelligent professor caught the hint and glared at Yang, which caused her to stop and pretend like nothing happened.

Meanwhile, since those two are her friends, Blake was paying attention. Her cat ears flickered everytime Ruby and Weiss switched off. Sometimes she zoned out of this class, but she wanted to show some respect. Unlike the goofy blonde sitting next to her.

Unintentionally, Blake's nose twitched. It'd done that for a few days now, and she had a hunch as to why.

 _Yang and Weiss,_ Blake thought as she narrowed her eyes in suspicion and glanced over at the blonde. _They've smelled the same for the last few days. It's not even a good smell, but it's nothing I've ever smelled before. What is it…? Did they get new soap or something?_

Before she could think about that, Ruby and Weiss ended the presentation. There was a round of applause, and not long after the bell rang.

"Good job, you two," Blake praised the red and white pair. "You sounded like you knew exactly what you were talking about."

"Really? Cuz I had no clue," Ruby said, no teasing present.

Yang playfully rolled her eyes. "You don't give yourself enough credit, Rubes."

"I know you don't like public speaking," the faunus stated. "Despite that, you nailed it. You didn't look nervous at all. And you didn't stutter."

That may be true, but Ruby was slightly flushed from the anxiety that it caused her. While Weiss was paler than ever.

Yang slung an arm around her sister's shoulders. "I'm so proud of you!"

"Hehe, thanks guys!" Ruby beamed. "Can I have a cookie now? It calms me down."

"Sure, hold on."

After a nod, Blake leaned over her desk to retrieve her black backpack. She placed it on her lap and rummaged around the hidden pocket. Finally, she pulled out the delectable orb and presented it to Ruby, who was almost drooling.

While Ruby devoured the treat, Weiss gawked at the cat faunus. "You're in charge of her cookies?"

"How else is she supposed to limit herself?" Blake asked.

Yang sighed. "She has no self-control."

The three girls looked over at the red-hooded girl, who had crumbs all over her mouth. There was even some chocolate smeared on the corners of her lips. Ruby was too happy to worry about appearances and sent them a wide, sweet grin.

"You're such a dolt, honestly," Weiss reached for the napkin in her pocket and wiped the crumbs off Ruby's face. This caught Ruby off guard, so she stiffened, but never lost that smile.

"Thanks, Weissy," Ruby said softly.

Meanwhile, Yang was just confused as to where the napkin came from. "You keep a napkin in your pocket?"

"I'm surrounded by people who are prone to spillage," Weiss pointed out, which earned amused stares. "There's nothing wrong with being prepared."

Ruby half-snorted, half-giggled. "You're such a mom."

"Someone in this group has to be."

As the two conversed, Blake couldn't stop examining Yang and Weiss, trying to figure out what that smell was and why they smelled the same. Apparently, Ruby hadn't noticed. No one else noticed. It was only her. Probably due to her enhanced faunus senses.

Unable to help herself, Blake asked. "Why do you guys smell the same? Is it perfume?"

Yang and Weiss shared reassuring glances.

"Do we?" Yang asked in excitement and sniffed one of her armpits. "Wait, are you saying I smell the same as the princess?!"

Weiss gave her a look. "Why're you so happy about that?"

"I'm swooning!" Yang said dramatically. "Thanks, Blakey. What a nice compliment. I don't get enough of those from you."

Blake kept her poker face. _Neither denied it and Yang made a joke. Typical, but not good enough._

"Do you know why you smell the same?"

Weiss and Yang shared glances and remained silent. Luckily, Ruby cut in.

"They hang out together a lot. It doesn't surprise me your nose picked that up."

"That must be it," Weiss was quick to agree.

Yang nodded. "Before ya know it, we'll be synced up."

Collective chidings of "Yang!" rang out.

"Oh, you guys are right!" Yang admitted. "We're already synced up."

Blake's cat ears flattened on her head. "Just shut up." Talking about this with Ms. Goodwitch present was awkward. At least it was for her.

 _Now that she mentions it, hormones could be a plausible explanation. If I'm smelling their hormones and they're on the same level, then that must mean..._

With her cat ears perked up under her bow, Blake asked. "Are you two a couple?"

"What?!" Weiss blurted.

Despite Yang's casual demeanor, her cheeks flushed from the question. "The princess wishes!"

"Hm," Weiss scoffed. "As if."

Yang got a mischievous look on her face. "You didn't deny it."

"Must you always have fun at my expense?"

"You know you love me, just admit it," the blonde said knowingly.

As the two continued to bicker, Blake got lost in thought.

 _If it is hormones, wouldn't Ruby and I also share the smell since we're on the same cycle? This doesn't make sense. They're not telling me something again._

"Who's ready for chow time?" Yang asked after she felt her stomach growl. "I'm starving."

The group was still chilling in Ms. Goodwitch's classroom. The professor was just sitting at her desk grading some papers in a valiant effort to ignore the girls' conversation. The clock said that they were five minutes late to lunch. Must've gotten sidetracked. Thankfully, they weren't the only students still in the room.

When Ruby was packing her things, a foot kicked her red backpack over, which caused her pencils to scatter. Ruby looked up, only to meet stern gray eyes. It was a boy she'd never talked to before, but she recognized him from a couple of classes they shared.

"Tch," was all the gray-haired boy said as he walked away. Following him was a green-haired girl, who acted like nothing happened.

In anger, Yang stood from her chair, which caused it to screech on the floor. That caught everyone's attention.

"Hey! You got somethin' to say to her?"

He didn't even apologize to her baby sister! How _dare_ he!

Not finding the fiery blonde intimidating, Mercury smirked and glanced to Ruby.

"Watch where you're going."

Ruby didn't mind his awful attitude. He must be having a bad day. She was just worried about what'll ensue.

As Yang cocked her fist back, Ruby grabbed her hand forcefully.

"Yang, don't."

That tone was unlike her normal cheery demeanor. Ruby rarely used that voice. Yang allowed her sister to hold her back and let out a low growl as she glared at the arrogant boy, who had his arms crossed. Lilac crashed with gray as she bared her teeth.

"Come on, Merc," the green-haired girl grabbed his arm. "They're not worth it."

Mercury let out a huff as the two left the room. The four girls stared at their backs.

It was obvious Yang was furious as she tightened her fists. For a moment, Weiss could've sworn her eyes turned red.

"What the hell's their problem?" Yang steamed.

"Nice work holding your temper, Ms. Xiao Long. I know it must've been difficult."

The girls looked over to find Glynda, who had set the papers down to give them her attention.

"Thanks, Ms. Goodwitch," Yang said, still angry. "Would you have interfered?"

"Perhaps. I'm just glad I didn't have to."

* * *

"Guys, please. Now's not the time-"

Weiss was cut off by a loud thud. Two opposing elbows slammed on the table. Since this was the school's library, she thought her friends would obey the rules and be quiet. She was so wrong.

Several bookshelves isolated the group from the rest of the library, but that did little to mask the noise. Most students who were studying had left because of the ruckus.

Jaune pumped his fist in the air. "You can do it, Nora!"

"You have to win, Nora!" Ren cheered.

Pyrrha smiled at the intense matchup. "I have faith in you!"

Furiously, Yang and Nora were caught in a standstill. Their hands were interlocked, each trying to best the other. Both clearly straining to overpower the other. It was true Yang lost the previous match, but she would win this time, dammit! She wasn't going to let her friends down… or her ego.

"Come on, sis!" Ruby cheered. "You can't lose to a girl in a skirt!"

"You wear a skirt, Ruby," Weiss pointed out.

Eagerly, Ruby placed her hands on both of the shorter girl's shoulders and shook her. "Weiss you're not cheering loud enough!"

But Weiss said nothing as she adorned the scowl and crossed her arms, unamused. Meanwhile, Blake gave up on reading her book. She couldn't concentrate with all her friends yelling. The opponents pried into each other's souls. Bright blue eyes tore into lilac.

"Your strength has improved!" Nora observed. "I'll give ya that!"

"Yep, but it's better now," Yang said knowingly in between subtle breaths.

Taking that as a challenge, Nora narrowed her eyes. "Oh yeah?!"

Due to the intense workouts from fighting grimm and hunting for relics, Yang was ready. To feign weakness, she allowed Nora to take advantage and slowly bring her hand down, but not enough to touch the table.

After a deep inhale, Yang went for it.

She gave it all she had in one arm. All the power in her muscles gathered for one final move. Yang felt her body straining and almost shaking. This was it.

Faster than lightning, she slammed Nora's hand down. The impact was so violent that it almost cracked the table in half. Nora's jaw dropped as she stared in utter bewilderment and defeat.

"H-how'd you get so much stronger?!" Nora yelped.

Yang smirked. "I've been working out."

That response caused Weiss to roll her eyes. Working out? More like risking her _life_.

"What's your regimen?" Nora asked. "I must know!"

Yang just flipped her hair in victory. "It'd be too intense for you."

"That's not true and you know it!" Nora exclaimed.

With confidence, Yang stood from her seat. Eagerly, Ruby grabbed her hand and raised it in the air.

"Ladies and gents, the new arm wrestling champ!"

"Thank you, thank you," Yang mocked a bow. "Couldn't have done it without you, Nora."

That earned a few giggles.

"I wanna rematch!" Nora demanded and slammed her hands on the table.

"Sh!"

The hush came from an angry librarian, who glared at the group of friends in disgust.

Jaune flinched. "Sorry, ma'am. We'll stop."

"No, you'll leave," the older woman demanded. "What makes you think it's okay to do this in a _library?_ Do you know how many people have complained? How rude it is?"

"Uhhh…" was all Jaune could mutter.

While the lady took out her anger on poor Jaune, the rest of the group packed their things.

"All of you, out," the librarian pointed to the exit.

The group left no room for protest and entered the halls.

"Way to go," Weiss said sarcastically. "What'd I say? That isn't the place for arm wrestling!"

"Hey, we were kicked outta the library," Yang said proudly. "Add that to the list, Rubes."

Ruby took out her scroll and jotted that down. "Got it!"

Blake curiously gazed at the sisters. "Do we want to know?"

"Nah," the blonde replied.

As the group headed to the front doors of the school, Ren sighed.

"I'm surprised it took that long for someone to come over."

Nora gave him a thumbs up.

"Worth it!"

* * *

 **THE MITOCHONDRIA IS THE POWERHOUSE OF THE CELL. If you don't know that, you clearly haven't been to high school or on the Internet.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	15. Hit the Deck!

"Did ya finish that math assignment yet, Rubes?"

Ruby set her ham and cheese sandwich on the napkin that acted as a plate. After she swallowed, she spoke with her mouth half-full. "Yep! I figured out most of the equations."

After a tiny gasp, Yang leaned in. "Can I sneak a peek? Please, please pretty please."

Ruby set her water bottle down before she could take a sip. "You should really start doing your own homework."

"Aw, come on!" Yang said in a bargaining tone. "Just one more time? You know physics isn't my best subject."

Blake scooted her strawberries to the side. "You did well on the last test."

"Because I studied my ass off for two weeks straight!" the blonde exclaimed. "I can't keep goin' forever!"

Ruby adorned a smirk as she glanced at the shorter girl sitting next to her. "Why not ask Weiss? She's in AP physics! She's better at it than me."

All Weiss could do was slightly smile as she drank her water. Being praised for academics was something she thrived on. Yang sensed an overwhelming confidence coming from the priestess and whispered.

"She's heartless. She'd never let me copy!"

"Hey!"

Apparently, her whisper wasn't quiet enough.

"It's true!" Yang exclaimed.

"Perhaps if you did your own assignments I'd be more helpful," the priestess stated. "However, if you're struggling, I wouldn't mind tutoring you. I didn't realize you were this desperate."

Despite the subtle slap in the face, Yang was overjoyed from the news. Lilac eyes lit up and practically sparkled. "R-really?!"

"As long as you put in a great effort like you did when you studied for the last test," Weiss stated. "You know what that means, yes? No dilly-dallying."

"I take it back," Yang said. "You really aren't _that_ heartless."

Weiss set her fork down and crossed her arms with a scowl. "Another word and I'll retract my offer."

"You wound me so," Yang said after she teasingly spat out her tongue.

"You would have to stop those incessant comments."

"No can do!"

Even with Yang's grades on the line, she was willing to give her a hard time.

"You're incorrigible."

"You know you love it…"

While her friends bantered, Blake was busy picking at her tuna. Her favorite food suddenly lost taste when she noticed that a fellow faunus, Velvet, was being picked on by the school bully, Cardin.

Despite being in the cafeteria surrounded by dozens of students, no one was saying a word. No one intervened or had the guts to. In fact, some of Cardin's friends laughed at the display and encouraged him.

Blake's cat ears leaned back under her bow as she listened to him make fun of her rabbit ears. Blake lost her appetite and set the fork down.

It was times like these when she wished she wasn't a faunus. Then again, bullies like Cardin were normally part of the minority. She could tell the people around him were uncomfortable with their stiffened body language.

She wanted to say something, she really did. Confrontation was always her strong suit since she was witty in conversation. But something about Cardin made her freeze. Perhaps it was the memories of her past. Losing loved ones because of discrimination. The discrimination happening right before her eyes once again.

A tidal wave of helplessness crashed over her as she watched the bigger boy tug on Velvet's sensitive rabbit ears.

The moment Velvet yelped, all sense of helplessness drained from her body. Amber pools glared and pried through Cardin's ugly soul. There was this new feeling overrunning her now. It showed in the form of Blake gripping her fork until her knuckles turned white.

It didn't take long for Yang to notice her friend's inner turmoil. Usually, she finished that tuna in a minute flat.

"It's Cardin, right?" Yang asked.

A nod. Blake was probably too furious to speak.

"Such an asshole," the blonde murmured angrily. "Someone needs to put him in his place."

Her comment did little to calm Blake down even if she did agree. Hell, the majority of the school would agree. Even Pyrrha, who was prim and proper, just called his behavior "atrocious." The scene was gaining some curious eyes, yet no one said anything. It was the bystander effect.

After a deep breath, Blake picked up the raw tuna with her bare hands. She may or may not regret what she planned to do, but it was for a good cause. As long as Cardin got his grubby, dirty hands off Velvet.

Yang knew that look on her face. She's seen it before. Blake wants revenge and there was no changing her mind. Normally, Blake was a model student, but she had a stronger sense of justice. Since her parents died due to discrimination, she tried to stay true to herself ever since she was a kid. Meaning, she would no longer stand by and watch discrimination happen. She'd do something about it.

Knowing Blake was about to throw down, Yang nodded reassuringly at her. The faunus felt better after she received permission. Yang of all people knew how much things like this affected her. Even if _this_ is what Blake had planned, Yang trusted her judgment.

Blake curled her fist full of tuna into a stinky ball.

Yang stiffened, ready for the madness that would ensue.

With precision, Blake tossed the tuna like a softball directly in Cardin's unsuspecting face. Pieces of fish broke apart in the air, but the bulk of the food splattered on the side of his head and eyes. Immediately, Blake drank her water like nothing happened. However, her friends and Yang saw what happened as they sent her confused gazes. Yang failed to suppress a giggle from the sound of tuna splatting on skin.

The result was exactly what Blake wanted. Cardin released the rabbit ears and infuriatingly stared down the students.

"Who the hell threw that!?"

His furious voice boomed through the entire cafeteria. All eyes were on him. Various chatters died.

Tuna decorated his hair and face. He tried to wipe it away the substance from his eyes. That's when someone behind him, who shall remain nameless that wants to break his legs, chucked a whole banana at his back that squashed on impact.

"Hit the deck!" Yang dove for cover.

Before anyone could even think, the blonde violently flipped over the entire table. The wooden table crashed on its side as her friends watched their precious food get dirtied on the marble floor. Many gasps followed. As Ruby tried to save her precious cookies, Yang pushed Ruby and Weiss to the side so the table could protect them from any stray shrapnel.

"My cookies!" Ruby fell on her knees and fake cried into her hands.

"Yang, you brute!"

"You can thank me later!"

As Yang peeked over the barrier, she watched Nora cup her hands over her mouth.

"Food fight!"

Chaos erupted. Various shouts and screams ensued. Multiple fruits and greasy foods flew past the table that acted as a barricade. To take cover, Blake dove behind the table as well and leaned on the bottom of it where her friends were huddled.

Weiss was scowling as she leaned onto the table. "I don't want to get my uniform dirty!"

"It's too late for that!" Yang exclaimed. "We've been through worse! We gotta fight back!"

"Blake's the one who started this mess!" Weiss yelped and glared at the faunus, who narrowly dodged a packet of ketchup that whizzed by. "Don't think I didn't see you."

"Blake, that was awesome!" Ruby cheered. "You stopped Cardin!"

Despite the praise, Blake didn't feel accomplished. All that mattered to her was that Velvet got away.

"Think we can make it out of this without a mark?" Blake asked.

Ruby hesitantly nodded. "We can try."

The screams weren't stopping. The clashing of food rang out. There were distinct giggles of pure excitement of the fight. Probably Nora.

"We gotta go help her-"

Just as Yang was about to dive from cover, Ruby grabbed her hand and dragged her down behind safety.

"Yang, you can't!"

"It's a war out there," Yang stated as random chicken thudded on the other side of the table. "Nora can't do this on her own. I'm sorry."

With that, Yang leaped out from the barrier, only to be hit in the chest by a tomato seconds later. The blonde stumbled backward from the forceful impact. Her uniform and some of her blonde mane was stained red as she pressed her hands over the newly formed bruise.

Ruby reached her hand out dramatically. "Yang! Noooo!"

To protect her sister, Ruby hopped out and joined her side. They were in the middle of it all. Tons of food whizzed past and all around them. Ruby narrowly dodged a few Cheetos as she and Yang darted across the room. As if to show off, Ruby surfed on a tray across the lined up tables.

Some students took cover behind pillars or tables while others fled. The brave stayed and fought.

"Idiots…" Weiss muttered as she facepalmed. "I'm surrounded by idiots."

Blake knowingly gazed at her. "You got me covered, right?"

Weiss released a heavy sigh. It's not like she had anything else to do. "I can't believe you of all people started this mess. There were plenty of other ways you could have handled the situation in a civilized manner."

"Is that a yes?" Blake asked as green beans splattered against the table.

It was true Weiss was irritated but she was a team player above all else. She set a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I've got your back."

"Thanks," Blake sent her a genuine smile.

There was no way they could avoid getting in trouble by the teachers but this was something more than breaking the school rules. This was about defending Blake's honor as a faunus. After hearing what happened to her as a child from Yang, Weiss was willing to make larger strides to lessen Blake's burden.

Even if that included a god damned food fight.

After a deep breath, Blake went for it. She lunged for the nearest food to use as a weapon. To her surprise, her hands found a large baguette that was coated in condiments. Quickly, she picked it up and examined it as she blocked some corn flakes that were about to hit her face.

"This is the stalest thing I've ever seen! Why's it in the cafeteria?! It's not edible!"

While Blake wondered about that, Weiss had found a swordfish.

"You were mixed with some mashed potatoes, but I won't complain."

When Blake was done gawking about the stiffness of her newfound weapon, she called.

"Weiss!"

Knowing what she planned to do, Weiss flanked her side as the two sprinted through the cafeteria. It was difficult dodging any straying sharpnel, but doable. Various vegetables like cabbages and green beans were hurled their way as the two flipped constantly out of the way. By some miracle, the pair dodged everything.

Before an apple thrown by Sky hit Blake's torso, Weiss deflected it by slicing it in half mid-air with the pointy fish.

"Thanks!" Blake yelled over her shoulder.

Weiss said nothing since she was too busy keeping an eye on anyone who may try to stop Blake.

On the other side of the room, Velvet barricaded herself with a fortress of tables. Four in total surrounded the startled faunus as she crouched in the middle. Blake hopped over the fort and crouched next to her.

"Are you okay?"

"Blake? Yes, I'm fine," Velvet replied, keeping her ears down.

"I'm glad."

After Blake stared at her, her gaze trailed to the floor. By one of the table's legs was a hard-boiled egg. Taking this as her chance, she grabbed the egg and chucked it at the back of Cardin's head. The bulky boy was locked in combat with Yang, so the egg threw him off balance. Unfortunately for him, the egg wasn't hard boiled like she thought.

When Cardin stumbled, Yang landed a critical turkey-fisted punch in his gut. A desperate gasp escaped his lips. Before Blake ducked, she checked her surroundings and watched Weiss whirl the fish around to parry flying oranges that Emerald had thrown.

"Thank you for that, Blake," Velvet smiled. "You saved me. I saw you throw the tuna."

"Seems like everyone except Cardin saw me," Blake almost laughed. "There's no need for thanks. Scum like him deserve worse. I'm sorry you had to put up with that."

"I'm used to it," Velvet said, though Blake didn't like hearing that. "Good thing Cardin has no clue it was you."

While they conversed, Weiss was busy making sure no harm came to them by blocking hordes of hot dogs with the swordfish. The boy with gray hair was really into the fight. For the most part, he was spotless, aside from a section of his hair being yellow. Probably mustard.

Unfortunately, Mercury had initiated the fight with Weiss. Weiss was starting to think that he had it out for her group of friends. Why, she had no clue. Just a few days ago he knocked over Ruby's backpack without apologizing. Even going so far as to challenge her infuriated sister.

Even though this was a food fight, this was personal.

Like an expert, she sliced the vines of grapes he'd thrown at her.

"You're good with a sword," Mercury observed.

"Fish," she corrected.

Mercury couldn't help but shrug in agreement. To throw her off, he tumbled to the side and picked up a full can of grape soda. He shook it a few times before a purple waterfall sprayed all over his opponent. The powerful blast and a kick to the chest were enough to knock her on her back. A yelp ensued as she landed in a pile of smashed food.

Before Mercury could advance, Ruby stepped between the two. Like shurikens, she tossed her prized cookies at him to fend him off. It worked as he hopped back a few feet. A few cuts now scoured his skin.

"Weiss nooooooo!"

Weiss groaned as she sat up. "I'm fine, you dolt."

From the overly-dramatic scream of her sister, Yang looked over to check on the two. The shorter girl was wiping off the food from her uniform while her sister landed a few blows on Mercury. This gave her the push she needed. Mercury really ticked her off the other day, so watching him get pelted by cookies was satisfying to watch, to say the least.

A smack in the face by a giant watermelon knocked any thoughts out of her head. It was like a train rammed into her skull. From the impact, Yang stumbled back but refused to fall. She was stubborn like that and she was used to taking hits way harder than that. Through the crimson liquid, she glowered at the smirking boy.

"That all you got, Xiao Long?!" Cardin challenged.

After a low growl, Yang wiped the red liquid and seeds off her face with her elbows. No matter how many hits Cardin took, he wouldn't fall. Now she was determined. Yang smashed her turkey fists together and let out a war cry. This was personal.

Anyone who makes Blake upset will pay!

"I guess you haven't heard. I'm the arm wrestling champ!"

"The wha-"

Since Cardin had no way of defending himself, all he could do was absorb and block the flavored punches. A few times, he'd try to jab her, but Yang was too quick and dodged his attempts. Her boxing training was paying off as she mercilessly punched him in rapid succession, which caused him to see stars.

To help, Blake slyly aided her friend on the sidelines. During the fray, she'd found a sausage whip. She tossed the meat like a lasso and wrapped it around him. To tighten the hold, Yang tugged on the meat and it constricted his movements so much so that he fell to his knees.

As Cardin was in a daze, Yang set a piece of tuna on his head and proudly checked her prize.

"Perfect," Yang took a quick picture and sent it to her friends and Goodwitch.

Just after she said that, Ruby managed to knock Mercury on the ground, which caused him to yelp. Sweet justice for her sister, too? Awesome.

Meanwhile, Blake stood tall in the fort, still guarding Velvet in case anyone tried anything funny. In front of the impressive barricade, Weiss had her swordfish pointed firmly at the downed Emerald.

The food finally stopped flying. Multiple groans rang out. Nora's giggles masked them. The rest of her friends had abandoned the fight. She was the only one willing to stay and cause more mayhem, but even she was worn out after the chaos.

No one's uniforms were spared. The clothing was soaked with squishy and sticky food. Splotched with ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise on stockings, skirts, ties, hair, and everything in between. Stains scoured the walls, floors, and even ceiling.

While Nora was giggling, Ruby couldn't help but laugh as well. Tensions had been high lately, so this was something she really needed. It helped that the rest of her friends began to chuckle. Bubbles filled the atmosphere and mixed with the aftermath.

The laughter ceased the moment professor Goodwitch busted the doors open. She sauntered in with a distinct scowl and a low growl.

"Children, please. Do not play with your food."

That caused Yang to laugh even heartier.

"Good one."

* * *

 **Going back to watch the food fight scene was so sad and great. Watching all of RWBY be so happy and carefree before shit hit the fan was mind-blowing. Especially when Ozpin was all like "let them be children for a little while longer." Then Ruby goes all silver eyes, Weiss is kidnapped by the Spring maiden and gets impaled by the Fall maiden, Blake retaliates against the White Fang, and Yang had her arm cut off. There's a huge difference now that we can see how all of the things have affected them. It's surreal and amazeballs.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	16. Why Do I Feel This Way?

"What the hell happened to you four?!"

The girls were practically drenched in unknown food substances. Stains splattered the girls' uniforms and hair, which was frazzled and unkempt. In random places, they were sticky and slimy. The stockings and skirts were painted versions of red and yellow.

All eyes landed on Blake, who laughed dryly. "It was to help Velvet."

Weiss bit back a growl. "By starting a food fight?"

Blake just shrugged. "You gotta do what you gotta do."

Yang sent the scowling Weiss a knowing grin. "You say that like you're agitated, but we saw how much fun you had."

"Nonsense," Weiss dismissed. "I was more worried about the consequences."

"You guys got into a food fight!?" Taiyang yelped.

Here it comes. The inevitable scolding-

"That sounds awesome! Did you win?!"

Weiss could only gawk at the chipper man. He wasn't angry? Tai and her father couldn't be more different. If her father saw her like this, there'd be undeniable consequences. Yet, here Tai was, eagerly waiting for an answer.

"Let's _taco_ 'bout it," Yang said with a smirk. "Eh? Eh?"

That earned multiple sighs.

Blake gave her a look. "Even for you, that was lame."

" _Eggscuse_ me?" Yang retorted, never losing that smile.

Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose. "Please stop. Save us our sanity."

"Whatever," the blonde egged her on. "I don't give a _jam_."

Blake frowned. "Someone tape her mouth shut."

"Guys," Taiyang gave them a stern expression. Finally, someone who could talk some sense into Yang. "Quit _waffling_ around. I _pancake_ it anymore."

Ruby, Blake, Weiss looked like they wanted to scream at the heavens and heavily groaned. Meanwhile, Yang gave her father a high-five.

"Double whammy!" Yang cheered. "That's how it's done!"

"I try," Tai replied.

From the unmistakable scent of food, it didn't take long for Zwei to zip through the room. It looked like he had a minor case of the zoomies as he rammed into Ruby's legs and plopped on his rear. From the action, Ruby cooed and picked him up.

"Aw, Zwei!" Ruby cuddled his small form. She let slip a giggle when he began to lick her hair that was stained with ketchup. "Hehe stop, that tickles."

From her reaction, a few giggles rang out.

Weiss lovingly pat him on the head. "You like that don't you? Don't you?"

A tiny yip and the lick of her fingers was her answer. That earned a wide smile as Weiss continued to stroke his soft fur.

"Really though," Taiyang started. "How'd the food fight go?"

Ruby couldn't hold back her excitement as she bounced up and down with her dog in her arms. "It was so awesome! I surfed on a table with a tray, Weiss was a master with a swordfish, Blake helped Velvet, and Yang beat the crap outta Cardin!"

"We got Cardin away from her, so I guess we won," Blake revealed. "Yang really gave him a run for his money."

Taiyang's eyes were sparkling. "Wish I could'a seen that. My baby girls kicking butt and putting a bully in his place. What's the damage?"

Weiss gestured to all four of them. "You're looking at it."

An absolute food-drenched group. They'd seen cleaner days. Was this not good enough?

"No detention or anything?" Taiyang asked.

Yang proudly pointed to herself. "Dad, you know Glyn and I go way back. She went easy on us. We just have to help out the teachers every now and then as punishment."

Weiss slightly nodded. "Which is odd. That's not a punishment. I usually do that, anyways."

"Believe it or not, some people don't like helping teachers in their spare time," Yang pointed out. "Especially when there's other things to do."

"My point is that our punishment could have- no- should have been far worse."

Yang crossed her arms with a satisfied smirk. "And it's all thanks to yours truly."

"I'm sorry, Tai," Weiss dipped her head. "I'm here because I can't go home looking like this. I hope you don't mind my intrusion."

Taiyang dismissed the formalities. "You're always welcome here. Yang, get her a change of clothes, will ya?"

"Course, but none'll fit her."

Taiyang shrugged. "So they'll be a little big. Better than what she has on."

"Fair point," Yang agreed.

With that, Ruby and Blake left to go take showers. Carefully, Ruby set her dog on the floor and the two headed upstairs. Getting the goop off was a desperate need. They couldn't stand being this filthy for a second longer.

"To my room we go!" the blonde announced. Yang gently grabbed the shorter girl's wrist to head to the stairs. However, she recoiled from how cold it was. Like an icicle. "Woah, is there any circulation in there?"

"Shut up," Weiss growled. "You know the condition is in my family."

"Zombie-ism?"

Weiss gave her a stern look. "I'm about to go get that tape."

"Please, have mercy."

Taking the lead, Weiss headed upstairs to Yang's room. For some reason, her heart began to thump louder as she approached the door. Her cheeks began to flush and she was suddenly starting to feel nervous. She had no idea why. This was just Yang's room. The brute she's known most of her life.

"What's up?" Yang asked. "Why'd you stop?"

Then again, the blonde had a knack for compassion. Always worries about her. Always insists that she protects her. Today when she fought Cardin, she did that for her friends. Not for personal gain. A few days ago, Yang yanked her out of a nevermore's mouth. She got swallowed and almost eaten in return, but she didn't hesitate to put herself in danger. Even before then, there was a pack of beowolves and Yang took a devastating hit after pushing her out of harm's way.

It's one thing to say someone cares about you, but it's another when they show it.

The memories flooded her mind as she stared at the simple wooden door. Her hand didn't reach for the knob as she stared ahead.

"Earth to Weiss?" Yang called. "Did Mercury hit you in the head?"

"O-oh no, I'm fine you brute. Just give me some clothes."

Despite the comment, it lacked her characteristic bite. To Yang, there was obviously something on her mind, but she didn't want to press. Weiss valued her personal space, especially when it came to her thoughts. Instead of questioning her, Yang opened the door and the two headed inside.

"If you say so," the blonde replied.

Her room was surprisingly tidy. For being disorganized, Yang cleaned up well. Her yellow bed was made along with some bright white pillows that leaned against the wall. The books on the shelves were stacked neatly. The cup of water on her nightstand was full. Posters of motorcycles were on the walls that were slightly tilted, but that was probably for the aesthetic.

"I'm impressed," Weiss admitted. "Your room is quite clean. I was expecting a train wreck."

"Thanks, I guess," Yang said from the sass.

Busily, the blonde sifted through her drawers in search of clothing Weiss could wear. A lot of these would be too big on her. Perhaps all of them, so she chose something simple. At last, she found a white t-shirt and a pair of nike shorts. She presented them proudly to the shorter girl.

"Here ya go! It'll be big on you, but you can't put on that uniform when you get out of the shower."

With a blush, Weiss accepted the clothes. "It'll do..."

 _Why's her face kinda red? Is she nervous?_ Yang thought. _I'll spare her the teasing… for now._

"Take your time," Yang said softly. "I'll be in the creepy basement shower. If ya need anything, text me."

A hum.

The girl seemed out of it. Yang just shrugged it off and left her room to give her some privacy. Yang ventured down the two flights of stairs and reached the dark bathroom. After she turned on the lights, she got undressed and twisted the shower handle. Warm water washed over her as she let out a relieved sigh.

The stream trickled all over her body. To her surprise, some ketchup managed to splatter on her stomach. It probably leaked through her uniform. In the steamy room, she rang out her hair repeatedly. It felt like she'd done this a million times. Some sections were crusty and caused her to cringe.

When she thought most of the goop washed down the drain, her thoughts wandered as she enjoyed the hot water splashing on her skin.

That's when it rained on her.

Weiss was showering in her house. In _her_ bathroom. Her heart began to pound from the mere thought.

 _She- she's in my shower,_ Yang realized. _She's used my shower before, so why do I care now?_

Her hand smoothed over her chest. Her thoughts were confirmed. Her heart was still pounding when she thought about Weiss in the shower.

 _Her smooth skin..._

Before any lewd thoughts could invade her mind, she forced herself to stop thinking about it. It felt wrong to sexualize her lifelong friend in any way. Not to mention she felt dirty even when soap buds covered her body.

It felt like she'd been in the shower forever, but only ten minutes past. To avoid the perverse thoughts, she turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. Yang dried herself off, got changed and headed up to her room. Usually, Weiss took quick showers, so she wouldn't be surprised if she was already dressed and ready to go home.

Before Yang opened the door, she knocked.

There was a soft, "you can come in."

After the door opened, Yang stepped inside.

"Oh, I thought you'd take a little longer-"

Her words caught in her throat when she noticed the girl's appearance.

Weiss was wearing the baggy white t-shirt and nike shorts. The shirt was so long on her that the pants were hidden. It was like she was wearing a dress. Her hair was no longer in a side ponytail and was a free-flowing, damp blanket of white.

Now that Yang thought about it, she'd never really seen Weiss wear casual clothes. This was a new side to her that she welcomed wholeheartedly. In fact, looking at her was mesmerizing.

A sweet aroma lingered in the air, and Yang could tell that it emanated from her. It was sweet vanilla.

In this moment, Yang thought Weiss was an angel without wings.

Yang's heart slammed against her ribcage. Lilac eyes couldn't pry away as Weiss confusedly asked her what was wrong. All Yang saw was those perfect lips move, but nothing came out. She was dazed and entranced.

It wasn't until Weiss shook her shoulders did she snap out of it.

"Yang? Are you sure _you_ didn't hit your head?"

"Wuh-o-oh yeah no, I'm good!" Yang sputtered.

As Weiss narrowed her eyes to examine her features to tell if she was lying or not, Yang enjoyed the sweet aroma. Now that Weiss was closer to her, the smell washed over her in calm waves. It was so heavenly that Yang closed her eyes to enjoy the scent, but she unintentionally recoiled when she felt gentle fingers brush through her hair.

"S-sorry," Weiss apologized. "It's just- you still have some mustard in your hair. It's hard to tell since it blends."

"O-oh," Yang muttered. "My bad. Guess I missed that part."

"It's alright," Weiss assured. "I missed some mayonnaise earlier but I got it out."

Yang couldn't help but laugh at that. Mayonnaise would definitely blend with her ivory hair.

"Come sit," Weiss pat the spot on the bed next to her.

Yang was too entranced to notice that Weiss sat on her bed. _Her_ bed.

"I'm going to double-check your hair since you couldn't get all of it out in the shower," Weiss explained. "Not to mention you're much taller than me, so sit."

"U-uh yeah, alright."

With her heart thundering, Yang shuffled over and sat on the edge of her bed. As the mattress shifted from her weight, Weiss positioned herself directly behind her.

On her bed.

On _her_ bed...

Weiss was on her knees behind the girl as she combed her fingers through the blonde mane.

"Your hair's very soft, Yang."

"T-thanks," Yang stammered.

Her heart pounded rapidly when she felt her faint breath on her ears. The breeze was like a cool melody. Almost angelic-like. The feather touches only added to the ripples shooting down her spine. Yang bit her lip nervously as she contemplated the situation.

 _Weiss_ was grooming her. The gentle touches soothed her very soul, but her heart only thudded harder. Heat rose to her cheeks and she wondered why she felt this way.

This was just Weiss.

The same Weiss who'd been by her side most of her life. The same Weiss who put her life on the line for Yang several times without missing a beat.

This was Weiss.

Just Weiss.

Yang's stomach fluttered. Her head started to buzz and her heart felt warm.

The room Yang lived in her whole life, the room she'd grown used to, the room that became dull several years ago… was suddenly brighter as these feelings overflowed.

 _Why do I… feel this way? I'm nervous, but at ease with her._

Since Yang wasn't very talkative, Weiss thought something was wrong.

"Is this okay?" Weiss asked softly. "Sorry I touched your hair without permission. I know how much you take pride on it."

"It's totally fine," Yang replied quicker than she intended. She actually liked her touch. Maybe more. Probably loved her touch. It was gentle and meticulous. Full of trust. It reminded her of how animals groom each other to strengthen unbreakable bonds. "You worry about the strangest things."

"I thought only Ruby was allowed to touch your hair," Weiss said absentmindedly as her fingers trailed through the silky blonde locks. She almost forgot that she was supposed to check for hidden stains or crunchiness in the strands. She was so mesmerized by how soft it was.

Yang casually leaned back and looked up to meet Weiss' gaze. "Now you can."

From that, Weiss looked skeptical. Yang didn't miss the barest hint of red on her cheeks. Shyly, Weiss looked away. Not only because the comment flustered her, but also because their faces were mere inches apart. When she glanced away, this caused some of her damp hair to brush over Yang's nose and over her mouth.

The blonde wrinkled her nose and leaned up, now facing the wall. "As much as I like the smell of your hair, I'd prefer not to eat it."

It was then that Yang bit her lip. Was that weird to say? Maybe she shouldn't have said that...

"After it got caked with food I didn't think it'd smell that good. At least not for a few more days."

Nevermind. Her reaction was even better than Yang could hope for. With a broad grin, she turned around to face her. Again, their faces were just inches apart. Confused azure met sparkling lilac.

When Yang gazed at her, Weiss folded her hands neatly in her lap. "Why're you looking at me like that?"

"You just made a pun!"

"Goodness gracious," Weiss sighed. "That was unintentional."

"I don't care, that's just proof I'm rubbing off on you."

"It's proof your puns are infectious."

"Don't make it sound like it's some disease!"

"It needs to be cured, so you tell me what it is."

"An honor," Yang said obviously.

"Hardly."

After they shared a laugh together, Weiss spoke.

"Your hair's clean. I think I got the only mustard spots that remained."

"O-oh thanks," the blonde said softly. She almost forgot why Weiss was grooming her hair in the first place. "Want me to check yours?"

"I've brushed it thoroughly. It's clean."

"You sure?"

Yang just wanted an excuse to return the favor. Not to mention to touch the silky silver tresses.

"Yes," Weiss said with a smile. "You can check it after the next food fight."

A hearty giggle.

* * *

 **Here ya go, some good 'ol fluff! It's a great bonding experience to do another person's hair. And it always feels so nice. Hope I did well to portray the enjoyable experience!**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	17. They Ask But I Can't Explain It

"Ugh," a groan tore from Ruby's lungs. "Why're we doing this again?"

"It's our punishment, dolt," Weiss replied, a tad annoyed as well. "Just be glad we didn't receive detention or anything worse from a trivial food fight."

"'Trivial,'" Ruby quoted, stifling a snicker. "It took 'em almost a week to clean it all up."

"Okay, maybe not so trivial," Weiss conceded.

The pair was carrying stacks of paper through the halls. Each stack was like a tiny mountain.

Ruby's red cape drifted behind her like there was a lingering breeze. The caped girl was pouting as she heaved the papers to get a firmer grip. If these spilled all over the hallway, it'd be a disaster.

Meanwhile, Weiss just wanted to get the job done. At least now she has a friend to lessen the burden. Typically, she helped the teachers with errands like this, anyways. This was just another day for her, but Ruby clearly wasn't used to it.

Weiss glanced over the tall stack of papers in her grasp to notice that Ruby was still pouting. A timid smile slipped on her lips from the sight.

Since Ms. Goodwitch didn't want to punish all the students for the food fight when only _one_ person started it- cough, cough, Blake, cough- initiated it, the professor figured this was the best option. Have the students who were involved would have to help the teachers in their free time for a month. This included errands like delivering papers, cleaning whiteboards, or just checking participation slips.

"Do you like doing this?" Ruby asked. "You don't look bothered by it."

"I don't want to say that I like it, per say," Weiss paused. "More like… it kills time and helps our hard-working professors, so it's not that bad."

"That's one way of looking at it," Ruby admitted with a shrug. "I guess it's better than doing nothing during our free period."

"That's the spirit."

At last, the pair had finally arrived at the door to professor Port's classroom. Skillfully, Ruby balanced the huge mountain of papers in her arms as she slid open the door and let herself inside.

"Hello? Professor Port, are you here?"

No reply.

"Aw, he's not here!" Ruby whined.

Weiss cautiously walked past her and led the way. "Let's just leave them on his desk."

"Good idea."

Together, the two set down the papers. This caused a loud thump noise to ring out. Similar to how a textbook would sound if it slammed on the floor. The papers were _that_ heavy.

They dusted off their hands.

"Now what?" Ruby asked. "I don't wanna go back to the classroom and just sit there."

Weiss turned on her heel and headed out the door. "Come with me."

"Oh," Ruby gasped in excitement. "Where're we going? Somewhere secret?"

"The teacher's lounge," Weiss revealed.

"The teacher's lounge?!" Ruby blurted in shock. "But- but isn't that only for teachers?"

Not only that, but Ruby heard mystical things about the room. How the teachers have their own vending machines, coffee makers, couches, a refrigerator, a freezer, and even cookies! She even heard that there was this giant mirror that could grant anyone's wishes in there. That was probably a bogus rumor, but she was still curious!

"I go there during free period," the priestess revealed. "They won't mind if you tag along."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely, dolt," Weiss stated. "I wouldn't bring you if it meant you'd get in trouble."

Ruby was allowed to go in that sacred land? Now she couldn't wait.

"Wow," silver eyes sparkled. "You're amazing, Weiss! I should've known someone like you could go to the teacher's lounge whenever you want! Is it because you're a suck-up?"

"Quiet you."

Ruby pointed at her teasingly. "You didn't deny it."

"Hush or you won't get to taste its magical cookies."

That shut her mouth. Offhandedly, Ruby had heard Oobleck and Port conversing one afternoon weeks ago. They talked about how great the cookies were. Better than Subway's cookies, which if you asked Ruby, was nearly impossible to beat.

Satisfied that she was quiet, Weiss led them down the vacant hallways of the school. Class was in session, so no one was wandering around except the occasional student here and there.

Finally, the pair approached the door. It was just another door to Weiss, but to Ruby, it was heavenly and glimmered. Her precious treats were inside-

Casually, Weiss twisted the knob and sauntered in like she's done a million times. Ruby followed suit and took her time, shuffling behind her. It was true she was eager, but she was also nervous to enter the new land.

Now that she was here, there wasn't anything special about the room. There were some paintings of apples and wildlife. The carpet was the same as any other classroom- an earl gray. However, it smelled ethereal. Like coffee.

Her thoughts were confirmed when she glanced to the right- there was indeed a coffee machine in the corner of the room that emitted steam.

Nonchalantly, Weiss poured herself a drink in a mug with a snowflake on it.

Ruby gazed at her, dumbfounded. "You have your own mug in here?"

Not answering, Weiss finished pouring the drink and faced her.

"How do you take your coffee?"

"Uh, cream and five sugars!"

After a nod, Weiss poured the brown liquid in another mug that was light blue. It was a spare she kept here when she washed the one she was using now.

"Don't tell Yang I gave you this much caffeine," the priestess held out the mug. "Only you can consume blasphemous amounts of sugar."

"Hehe, thanks, Weiss," Ruby giddily replied and accepted the drink. "How do you take yours?"

"Black."

"What!?" Ruby wrinkled her nose in disgust. "How?!"

Weiss slightly sipped on her drink as the steam lightly kissed her face. "Believe it or not, some people don't like sugar in their coffee."

"Amen."

That was a new voice. It was deep and resided in the middle of the room.

On the separate couches in the middle of the room sat headmaster Ozpin and professor Goodwitch. Based on his smile, he was the one who commented. The professors were quiet, so Ruby and Weiss failed to notice them.

However, Ozpin had a mug in his hand, which would explain why it smelled like coffee before they walked in.

Goodwitch set her mug on the table in front of her. "I'm more of a tea person myself."

"Headmaster, professor," Weiss dipped her head. "I hope you don't mind I brought Ruby with me today."

Glynda waved her off. "Not at all, Ms. Schnee. We owe you. Do whatever you please."

Weiss took a note of her comment, recalling the fact that they retrieved a relic piece recently. She didn't say anything because Ruby was right next to her.

"Thank you."

After helping the professors find two of the five relics, one of which she already had, the least the professors could do was allow her access to the teacher's lounge with a friend. Weiss had put her life on the line several times since her eyes were opened to the New World. Her professors appreciated her hard work and were willing to reward her in any small way they could.

Repeatedly, Glynda's small comment rattled in Ruby's skull. Curious, she leaned into her friend's ear and whispered. "What do they owe you?"

"It's nothing important, Ruby," Weiss assured. "They merely want to show gratitude for how much I've helped them."

Technically, that wasn't a lie.

"That's nice of them."

"Indeed," Weiss smiled and sipped a little of her drink. "Would you like to try the cookies?"

She glanced behind Ruby, gesturing to the vending machine.

"Do I?!"

Instantly, Ruby forgot all about the coffee and set it on the counter. She bolted to the machine and pressed her hands eagerly on the glass, leaving smudges. Weiss was about to scold her, but knew that would be a lost cause. Ruby was drooling already, which caused Weiss to playfully roll her eyes. It was times like this when she was reminded she was like a puppy.

Without thought, Weiss inserted the currency in the machine. This elicited a high-pitched beep as she pressed the button for the correct sweets.

"Wait, Weiss!" Ruby yelped. "You don't have to pay for it, I have money."

"Let me do this, dunce."

If there was one thing she had in common with her father, it was stubbornness.

Ruby bit her lip in light frustration, but she could tell she'd already made up her mind. There was no changing Weiss' mind when she set her heart on something, so Ruby gave in.

"You're the best, Weissy!"

* * *

"Thanks for-" Yang swiftly punched the dangling bag. "-helpin' out!"

On the other side of the punching bag stood Blake. For her friend, she was holding it in place. To say her punches were merciless was an understatement. With each jab, Blake had to force herself to not fumble backward. Her only job was to keep the pesky bag in place. That proved to be difficult since Yang was much more powerful than she realized. It felt like with each punch, she grew more determined and stronger.

"It's no problem," Blake breathed. "It is odd, though. Why'd you ask me to help? Why not Ruby? Usually, you practice boxing alone."

The question earned several harsh jabs in rapid succession. Blake bit her lip and her muscles strained as she kept the red bag in place. Her feet dug into the wooden floor as Yang wailed on the red bag. Having it dangle from the ceiling wasn't beneficial, at least in her opinion. Blake wouldn't be surprised if Yang tore it off the rafters.

Yang's muscles glistened with sweat. Her yellow tank top was covered in damp spots, and her ponytail was beginning to weigh her down. The two had been in the basement for a few hours. It looked like Yang was finally running out of steam, so Blake found solace in that. Even though she was just holding the bag, it was a lot of work.

"I feel bad after what happened to Ruby last time," Yang admitted. "Don't get me wrong, I know she can take a hit just as well as anyone. But I couldn't help but feel guilty, ya know? She ended up seeing stars on the floor…"

"Yang," Blake called sternly, trying to rid her guilt-ridden expression. "Ruby was perfectly aware of the dangers that come with boxing. I talked with her afterward and she said she was happy you didn't hold back for once. She said she was glad you were finally starting to treat her as an equal. She can tell when you baby her, and that sometimes makes her upset."

Yang heaved a sigh and rocketed another jab. After she twisted her arms around to warm up some more.

"That may be true, but I don't want to hurt her. At least not on purpose. Sometimes I think she's not strong enough," Yang felt bad for admitting that.

"Yang…"

"She's my baby sis, Blake," Yang reminded. "No matter her age, she'll always be that to me."

Slowly, Blake walked around the large bag and sent her a sympathetic gaze. "Yang, if you keep treating her like a child, you'll only push her away. I know it's hard, but it's necessary."

A weak laugh.

"I hate when you're right. It's almost worse than when Weiss is right."

That earned a light chuckle from Blake. Indeed, sometimes it was maddening when Weiss solved issues with painful bluntness. Blake had to agree with that strategy and returned behind the bag.

Another punch was followed by a loud grunt. This swing almost rocketed Blake off her feet. Good thing she was ready for that one.

The lights were on in the basement, so the glare accentuated how much her friend was sweating. It was almost worrying. Yet, Blake found adoration in how hard she was working.

"So…" Blake broke the silence. "Why do you want to get stronger so badly?"

Normally, her friend boxed alone. She had to be serious about this if she was willing to ask Blake for help.

Briefly, Yang lowered her yellow boxing gloves. "I gotta keep that arm wrestling champ title, don't I?"

Blake gave her a look after she wiped her moist forehead to rid the sweat. "This isn't just about that."

"You think so?"

The question was more of a challenge. Like Yang was testing to see what her friend would speak her thoughts. If Blake was this curious, she'd have no problem in doing so.

Blake sent a peculiar gaze. She knew _exactly_ what Yang was doing.

"Yang, I know that when you work hard, there's an end goal. Whether it's trivial or not doesn't matter. As long as it's important to you, you give it your all."

That caused Yang to drop her offensive stance, abandoning the red target. "Sometimes I wish you didn't know me so well."

"Living with you for over a decade has taught me a few things," Blake quipped. "Which reminds me, what's on your mind recently? Does it have anything to do with you wanting to get stronger?"

"I gotta protect someone at all costs."

There was no hesitation. The words tumbled out of Yang's mouth. Despite Blake's initial confusion, Yang spoke with clarity. She was stern, and it was obvious she was determined to gain more strength based on this.

Yang said nothing more, hoping to remain vague. She wasn't going to drag Blake into her relic hunting mess. The blonde felt guilty enough for putting Weiss in danger, which is why she was willing to push her body to its limits. After what transpired with the pack of beowolves and nevermore, Yang realized she has a long way to go. Especially if she planned to act as a tank in the future.

"Care to elaborate?" Blake asked.

The only way to get Yang to talk was bluntness. Dancing around the subject was out of the question. All Blake wanted to do was help her friend. She was doing that right now, but she felt like there was more than what Yang was letting on.

Yang contemplated the question and chose her words carefully.

"I know you care about me, Blakey. This is your way of showing it. You're worried about me. Especially since I've been acting… differently lately."

Yang thought back to the time when she came home with a migraine and passed out in front of her family. How much she worried them as a result. Why Yang and Weiss had been attached at the hip lately. Why the two smelled the same and went along with any excuse they could find when in reality they were both almost eaten by a massive grimm.

During the last few weeks, Yang and Weiss' lives were thrown into jeopardy. And Yang almost felt powerless. Some part of her felt like she was being eaten alive from this helpless feeling.

The last thing she wanted to do was tell Blake about the other world. The world that was so dangerous. The New World she'd been living in for a year now.

At least Yang had Weiss. She wasn't alone. At least, not anymore. Having a partner by her side made things much easier. Hell, thanks to Weiss, they retrieved two out of the five relic pieces. It was also a bonus that her partner was super intelligent, brave, and selfless...

A smile curled on her lips when Yang thought about her. Thought about all the things she admired about her. To Yang, the girl was absolutely _perfect_.

Now Yang's heart was pounding, but not from the intense workout.

"I promise you there's nothing to worry about," the blonde grinned. "All I need to do is get stronger."

Blake tried to wrap her mind around her friend's words. Yang was being genuine. As genuine as she could ever be. There was even this spark in those pools of lilac. It wasn't the determination she'd witnessed the last few hours. It was passion and perhaps fondness. For what, she had no clue. It was the kind of look Yang gives her family. When the atmosphere is bubbly and filled with laughter.

But the twinkle in her eyes told her that what she was feeling right now was different.

Yang wasn't thinking about family. This was something- someone else.

"Why do you have to get stronger?" Blake asked.

"I have to protect someone," Yang repeated.

"From what?" the cat faunus questioned.

Slowly, Yang lowered her arms and took off her neon yellow boxing gloves. She set a hand- one of the hands that packed such a powerful punch before- gently between her cat ears.

"It's alright, Blake. You worry even more than Weiss sometimes."

Blake's cat ears folded on her head. This was the second time Yang had made an off-handed comment about Weiss today. Whether it was intentional or not was up for debate. At least now Blake had her answer. For some reason, Yang wanted to get strong. That reason might be for Weiss, but she had a feeling again- that there was more to it.

"Hey," Yang said softly. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Blake dipped her head, unable to meet her gaze. "I just want to help."

"You have been," the blonde stated sternly as she removed the gentle hand. "More than you'll ever know."

That was good. At least Blake was useful in whatever was going on in Yang's life. Although she didn't feel great about it since she had no idea what she'd been doing to help her friend besides holding a punching bag.

With a smile, Yang carefully untied the black bow on the cat faunus' head. At last, the cat ears were free and flickered lightly around the room. Even though Yang lived with Blake, she rarely saw the appendages. They were always covered. Especially at school.

Watching those ears always caused her to smile.

"Are you okay after that food fight?" the blonde asked.

"Everything's clean now."

"That's not what I meant," Yang said softly. "You don't act it, but I noticed how troubled you looked when you saw Cardin."

Blake tore her gaze away from concerned lilac. "Let's just say he deserved more than a few punches and food pelted at him."

That hidden anger. Hidden fury. Yang could barely see it since Blake was so good at masking it. Blake only let it be known to close friends. This was one of those rare times when she snapped. If you could call that snapping.

Softly, Yang curled her fists and held onto the black bow. "You don't need the bow. The people who matter will accept you, Blake."

"As long as there's discrimination, I'll continue to hide," Blake said like it was rehearsed. "It's not something I'd expect you to understand."

That comment hit home. Despite wanting to feel angry, Yang found herself pitying the faunus. Because of that, she felt guilty. Pity was the worst. Blake didn't deserve that.

"I respect your choice, Blake, don't forget that," Yang stated. "'I'm just saying that you might be surprised of how accepting people can be."

"You'd be surprised by how awful they can be," Blake replied without missing a beat.

There was a frigid bitterness in her tone. Blake reminisced of her past. How her parents were murdered in cold blood because of their race. Amber orbs warped to anger, but more prominent sadness. The emotions swirled in gold, a detail Yang didn't miss.

To cheer her up, Yang did what came natural and pulled her in for a hug. It wasn't a crushing embrace. It was one of her rare, gentle ones. The blonde who displayed raw power just minutes ago turned to a cuddly teddy bear.

It was a hug that emanated trust and admiration. Yang's arms wrapped around the girl's shoulders as Blake stiffened, having not expected it.

"I'll help you. I promise," Yang murmured.

After all, Yang was hunting relics to help Ozpin. For him to be allowed to die after being alive for thousands of years. Not only that, but for Blake to have an option. Whether or not she'd turn into a human with the relic's power to escape discrimination.

That was the only way Yang knew how to help her lessen her inner turmoil.

Lightly, Blake leaned into the hug, but didn't return it. Her arms were slack by her side.

"This is nice and all, but can you let go?" Blake was still stiff. "You're gross."

"Oops," Yang separated from her and took a step back. "I forgot how much I've been sweating."

Blake slightly laughed from that. Yang looked down at herself. Her yellow tank top was damp to the point where it was almost drenched. Blake was nowhere near clean herself, having worked up a sweat as well.

"I'll draw a bath for you," Blake offered.

"You're the best!"

* * *

 **The chapter title refers to the song I'm a Believer by Amalee.**

"' **They ask but I can't explain it'- how I'm not discouraged by it. It's quite the opposite- I can't get enough!"**

 **Lyrics mentioned: "So what? 'If I've still got a ways to go?' So what? 'It won't be easy,' yeah, I know!"**

 **This alludes to Yang and Weiss giving it their all with the relic hunting and taking their other-worldly duties seriously. Even enjoying that they get to experience it together, even though it's dangerous at times.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	18. I Don't Know What Lies in Store

After school, Yang and Weiss headed directly to the temple.

Ozpin had summoned them. It wasn't often that he called the two to come to his temple. That could only mean one thing. He needed to inform them of the whereabouts of the third relic piece.

Ms. Goodwitch finally found a lead and wanted the partners to gather more information to possibly attain the third important piece. Sometimes it was difficult to locate the pieces with her magic, but doable.

This piece was different. Glynda technically didn't pinpoint the location. Just discovered the general area where it resided.

As Yang and Weiss stood at the bottom of the stairs, Glynda stood at the top. To prepare to explain, the professor pushed up her glasses, her voice boomed through the temple.

"This next one was a pain to locate, so don't let us down."

Yang smirked directly up at her, ignoring the man in his golden chair. "No pressure."

Despite the comment, it was apparent the partners were eager to help and take their mind off their daily lives. School had been taxing lately, so hopefully, the next hunt will be successful.

Weiss placed a hand on her hip and looked to her professor for guidance. "Where is it?"

"A few towns over," Glynda stated.

Seeing as Weiss was unsatisfied from the answer, Ozpin chimed in. "It's located near a town called Carnation."

"Oh," Yang mumbled. "I know where that is. That's only a couple hours from here. I thought you'd send us out on some adventure."

Glynda crossed her arms. "It will be an adventure. Wanda is out of commission for this one."

"Thank goodness…" Weiss breathed a sigh of relief.

Last time she rode on that broom, she could taste death. It wasn't every day that she flew several feet high. She recalled the intense feeling of nausea. It was only thanks to Yang that she didn't plummet hundreds of feet and shatter the bones in her body.

"Your stupid broom can't fly us?" Yang asked.

For a second, Yang could've sworn she heard a snapping noise when Glynda glowered. "Wanda's magic won't last for such a long time. Even she has her limits. Unless you'd prefer to crash mid-flight."

Weiss flinched from the mere possibility of falling from so high in the sky. It would be like jumping from a skyscraper. Her stomach twisted in a knot from the thought.

Ozpin nodded in agreement. "I'd suggest you go by car or walk."

The partners glanced amongst each other, internally thinking of what the next step should be.

Yang was the first to speak. "Can we use one of your cars? Your Dad's gotta have plenty."

"I won't deny that," Weiss admitted. "Although, neither of us can drive a car. Brooms are nothing like cars. For this, you do need a license," she added with a smirk.

That earned a light chuckled from the blonde. "Don't you have a chauffeur? He can totally take us!"

"All my actions are reported to father," Weiss stated bitterly. "If we wish to keep this a secret, we will not use any of the Schnee's vehicles for transportation."

In frustration, Yang grit her teeth and tightened her fists. Her partner definitely needed to keep up appearances. Especially to family. Yang understood that since she was in the same boat. The last thing she wanted to do was worry her family. Ruby and Blake would be immensely concerned if they ever found out what the two have been up to.

"What about Bumblebee?" Weiss suggested hopefully. "She must be bored in your garage."

Yang sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. Her motorcycle was her treasure. She wished she could take her, she really did, but…

"About that… I've been needing to change her oil for a while now, which is why I haven't taken her for a spin recently."

Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose. "Take care of your possessions, brute."

"Now I'll definitely get to it."

"It's a little too late for that."

For the mission, Bumblebee wouldn't be ready on time. Yang frustratingly bit her lip. That would've been a perfect opportunity for Weiss to be close to her… her cheeks heated up from the thought, and she hastily shook her head to snap out of it..

The partners glanced at each other, at a loss for what to do. For answers, they gazed up at their professors.

"You can take us!" Yang exclaimed.

Goodwitch rolled her eyes from the thought of being their taxi driver. She didn't have time for that, and the blonde sort of knew that. It was worth a shot. Glynda faced Ozpin.

"Did you hear something?"

Ozpin simply sipped his coffee.

"Aw, come on! Don't ignore me like I'm a pest!" Yang yelped. "How're we supposed to get there?"

"You can walk," Ozpin said. "Glynda and I have other duties to attend to."

It was true. There was a lot on their plates for being professors. Not to mention keeping up to speed with their own otherworldly duties.

"That'll take the entire weekend!" Yang blurted.

Weiss heavily sighed. "It will either way."

Yang was silent. That was a fair point.

Ozpin smiled as he gazed down at the frustrated partners. "Think of this as a valuable bonding experience."

From his comment, Weiss scowled at Yang, who couldn't stop grinning. Her sunny smile almost lit up the entire temple. It almost caused her to timidly smile. Almost.

"Aw, princess! We get to bond!"

Sometimes, Yang was insufferable. Lately, she's been tolerable, Weiss supposed. It could be worse.

"I'm so terribly excited," Weiss said dryly. "We should head out tonight," she said, hoping to get started at the right time.

"That would be wise," Ozpin chimed. "If things go well, you should be back on Sunday. According to Glynda, the relic is in the Black Forest."

Glynda pushed up her glasses. "There's a wide arch of two trees just before the river. You can't miss it."

"That's where it is?" Yang wanted to clarify.

"It's around there," Glynda reminded. "We don't know the exact spot, but that's its whereabouts."

Weiss nodded. "Good to know. Hopeful,ly we can retrieve it."

Ms. Goodwitch sent her a look of approval. "I've no doubt _you_ will. Yang on her own was hopeless. It was sad to watch."

"Says the woman who can't even pinpoint the relic!" Yang retorted.

Glynda huffed. "At least I found _something_. Unlike a certain someone."

A low growl escaped Yang's throat. She only calmed down when she felt slender fingers grasp her wrist.

"I tried," the blonde defended in a calm voice. "It's not my fault Weiss is super smart."

The compliment caused azure orbs to widen like dinner plates. Gentle fingers that were curled around Yang's wrist loosened. That came out of nowhere, which took her by surprise.

From the silence, Glynda chuckled. The partners were an amusing bunch.

Yang faced her partner, which caused Weiss to let go of her wrist.

"What time were you thinkin'?"

"Around midnight should suffice," Weiss stated. "Tell your Father something believable this time."

"Friend's house for the weekend it is," Yang beamed. "You should tell your Dad that, too."

All Weiss did was nod and turn away. Together, the partners eyed the professors after they figured out what to do. Ozpin stood from his throne and handed his mug of coffee to Glynda. It stopped steaming a while ago. After, he dug in his pockets and pulled out a white bracelet.

"If you ladies head out at night, take this. Grimm are more active at night."

With that, he tossed the bracelet directly at Weiss. Easily, the priestess caught the piece of jewelry that landed safely in her palm. To give Yang a glance, she held it out and the two gazed at it, skeptical. The bangle bracelet adorned a pair of intricate angel wings and a simple white line connected the tips of each wings together.

The jewelry especially peaked their interest when it began to glow brightly. The moment the bracelet settled in her palm, Weiss felt an immediate connection with the bangle bracelet. For a moment, there was a white spark. It ignited on contact, but it soon retreated to its dull white like nothing happened.

"This…" was all Weiss could murmur.

Ozpin nodded, showing he knew what she was thinking. "It's a barrier bracelet. It connects with your aura and protects you and the relics. Since you two gathered two of the five relics, more protection is required. We can't have your hard work go to waste."

Weiss didn't even slide it on and sent her headmaster a challenging glare as she tilted up her chin defiantly.

"If it provides protection, give one to Yang."

From her commanding tone, Ozpin almost took a step back. He was clearly hesitant at what he was about to say.

"That bangle only works properly on priestesses."

That was all Weiss needed to give the bracelet a crushing grip. She didn't care what function it served. If Weiss was going to receive protection, Yang would, too. They were partners and shared the amount of danger.

"That's ridiculous," the priestess stated. "I refuse to wear it."

"Weiss," Yang almost chided. "It's okay. You need it more than me. You're the one guarding the relic pieces, after all."

"That doesn't mean you deserve less protection," Weiss refuted and stared back up at the headmaster. "You can't make something that'll protect her as well?"

"No, nothing would work on her," Ozpin informed regrettably.

"You can conjure up something!" Weiss rarely raised her voice, but now it was booming through the temple. Stern and unyielding. "You've lived for thousands of years and you," she pointed at Glynda, which caused her to be taken aback. "Use magical brooms! Don't tell me it's not doable!"

From the sudden demanding yells, Yang's jaw dropped. She couldn't remember the last time Weiss got angry on her behalf. Much less showed how much she cared about her. It was a touching gesture, which caused her to smile timidly at the shorter, fuming woman.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Schnee," Ozpin apologized. "There's nothing I can do for her. Please take solace in the fact that Yang's aura is strong and that she's experienced in combat. She's not someone to trifle with."

That earned an amused scoff from Goodwitch. "I can attest to that."

From the comments of praise, Yang beamed a grin. Gently, she set a hand on Weiss' shoulder, which caused her partner to face her. Frustration still swirled in those pools of blue.

"That's right!" Yang beamed and lowered her voice like a man. "Yang strong. Yang smash."

The lame joke quelled Weiss' temper just a bit. After Weiss glared daggers at the headmaster for good measure, she sighed at Yang.

"You're incorrigible."

"Wear the bracelet, alright?" Yang encouraged. "If not for you, for the relics. You know, the whole point of why we're doing this."

Weiss heavily sighed again, not at all happy with the predicament. At the very least, her partner should have a bracelet as well. The priestess felt guilty for having an extra layer of armor while her partner didn't.

However, the blonde made a good point. If something were to happen to the relics, it'd be a disaster. Reluctantly, Weiss slide the white bangle over her wrist. Instantly, the wings locked in place and tightened over her slim wrist. Once it was done automatically adjusting, there was a slight glow, and then it faded back to the regular dull pallor.

"For our hard work," Weiss seethed and stared up at the professors. "Don't think I'm happy about this."

"That is understandable, Ms. Schnee," Glynda replied, noting that will be her attitude when it comes to Yang's safety. "I apologize that we cannot do anything for Yang."

Even if she did apologize, that didn't make Weiss feel less guilty or frustrated.

"I'll be fine, princess," Yang set a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Let's just be glad the relics'll be safer now. Let's focus on the mission ahead and what we need to get done. We gotta pack our gear."

That's right, the trip should take all weekend. That meant the partners would be sleeping outside during their journey.

"Thank goodness it's not winter," Weiss realized.

Happily, Yang chirped. "We'd get to cuddle for warmth!"

Weiss just rolled her eyes from her partner's antics.

"Kidding," the blonde said. "We don't need the cold as an excuse to cuddle, princess."

Weiss just pinched the bridge of her nose.

"At least we're not going to miss class this time."

* * *

The moment Weiss returned home, she retreated to her room. Thankfully, when she roamed the white halls there was no one in sight.

This meant that she could leave her home at midnight without a hitch. Normally, her father was too busy to acknowledge her existence most days. However, it was risky because she never knew when her father would call her into his office.

Usually, that was when she was in trouble for something out of her control. She served as a placeholder for him to yell at. That didn't happen often, but it still happens sometimes. Weiss was willing to take the gamble that he wouldn't notice her absence.

He usually doesn't, but Weiss formed an explanation in case. Especially for Klein. Weiss would tell her beloved butler, but would rather keep him out of this. She didn't want him to get in trouble for her sake.

In secret, Weiss pulled out her travelling bag that was hidden in the back of her spacious closet. The light blue bag had one strap and adorned tiny snowflakes on the gray handles.

It didn't take her long to pack the essentials- pajamas, exercise clothes for the next few days, snacks, and extra water bottles. Knowing Yang, she'd forget the latter.

Honestly, she was looking forward to the next few days. She hadn't spent the night with someone before. It didn't take long for her thoughts to trail back to the earlier comment Yang made and a blush appeared.

The next several hours would be spent with Yang…

Her heart thumped faster from the mere thought.

Despite the blonde being insufferable sometimes, she was fun to be around. Weiss found herself smiling as she set the bag on her bed.

At the door, her rapier was propped up, ready to slay some grimm.

* * *

"Hey, dad?"

Until now, Taiyang was cleaning the kitchen when his blonde daughter casual approached him. There was a glimmer of excitement in her lilac eyes, so that peaked his interest. What she needed to talk about was probably important.

Yang leaned on top of the granite island. One hand was under her chin to mask how nervous she was to bring this up.

"Yeeees my little sun dragon?" Taiyang practically sang. "How was your run?"

Yang had dressed in her exercise outfit, a yellow tank top and nike shorts, when she went to the temple. Little did her father know, she returned from the temple, discussing previous events rather than a run.

"It was good," Yang said softly. She was only sweating slightly from the sun's rays. Not from exercise. "So uh, I ran into _her_ again."

"Yeah?" Taiyang's voice rose a few octaves. When his daughter mentioned the girl, there was a spark in those pools of violet. Just talking about whoever this was made her excited. "Was she doing okay?"

"Yeah! She's good now!" Yang assured. From that, Tai sighed in relief. "She actually invited me to stay over at her place this weekend."

"Oh?" Taiyang replied, suggestive tone present.

"Yeah," Yang grinned, nervousness in her voice. She bashfully rubbed the back of her head behind her long ponytail. "I was gonna leave tonight. Don't wanna keep her waiting."

"Hm, alright," Taiyang saw no reason to reject his daughter's social life. "One condition, try not act too casual in her home."

Yang waved him off. "Yeah, yeah, I got it."

As Yang retreated to the stairs, Taiyang pointed at her.

"I mean it! Show her parents respect."

"I know!"

With that, Yang slipped into her room to begin packing. When the sound of the door shutting rang out, Ruby and Blake rounded the corner of the living room with curious eyes. Amber and silver pried into Taiyang's lilac pools.

"What was that about?" Ruby asked her father.

"Yang's staying at a friend's house for the weekend," Taiyang informed with a grin. "If you ask me she's got a big crush on whoever this girl is."

Blake's cat ears perked up, a brow rose in curiosity. "The same girl she helped in the woods?"

"Yeah," Taiyang confirmed. "Something's definitely going on."

Of course Yang's father knew something was up. The last few days, Blake grew more curious about Yang's life than ever. The same went for Ruby. None of the three could figure it out, which left them troubled.

When Ruby and Blake creased their brows, Taiyang placed his hands on both of his daughters' shoulders.

"Find out what's going on, yeah?"

A blessing. They had their father's permission to snoop? Normally, Blake and Ruby wouldn't sink that low, but this certainly lessened the burden on their shoulders. Now they didn't feel as bad.

Since the pair had his permission, Ruby and Blake smirked and adorned mischievous eyes.

"Deal," Blake replied without hesitating.

"Don't worry, Dad," Ruby assured. "We'll find out."

"I'm counting on you."

* * *

 **Hmmmm how much longer can Yang & Weiss keep their otherworldly duties underwraps? Will their secret come out?**

 **The chapter title refers to the song I'm a Believer by Amalee: "So what? If 'I don't know what lies in store.' So what? That's never stopped me before!"**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	19. For Sure Not On Drugs

It was dark outside. Unlike the previous caves, the partners found it entrancing and relaxing. It was only thanks to the moonlight beaming down on the blonde's gorgeous tresses did Weiss find her partner.

Weiss was captivated from just staring at the back of Yang. Her long locks were like a blonde waterfall. In boredom, Yang was whistling as she gazed up at the stars, waiting for her partner's arrival.

Since it was warmer outside, the girls dressed in casual clothes. Each adorned long sleeved t-shirts, both sporting their theme colors. They also wore nike shorts since there wasn't even the slightest chill. There was only the chirps of cicadas and crickets. The noises were a sweet melodic tune as the moonlight shimmered on the trees and grass.

Casually, Yang turned around when she heard a leaf crunch behind her. Close to her was Weiss, who was carrying her light blue bag and had her rapier secured around the handle. The thin sword was strapped to her back firmly to prevent it from unnecessary movement.

"There you are, princess!" Yang beamed. "I was startin' to think you ditched me."

"You brute," Weiss said softly, a faint blush grazed her cheeks. "As tempting as that is, the thought never crossed my mind."

Confidently, the priestess handed her a steaming bottle of a brown liquid. It took Yang one whiff to recognize the pleasant smell.

"Coffee?" Yang asked, perturbed. "What have you done to Weiss?"

"Pardon?"

"It clearly isn't you," the blonde justified teasingly. "You're being way too nice."

"One more word and I will dump it on you."

Despite the threat, Yang grinned at her scowl. Yang found herself lost in those pools of blue. Her white hair was illuminated by the moonlight and shimmered. It was alluring and sparkled like a waterfall cascading down the mountains. The blonde was sure she'd never seen something so captivating in her life. It was moments like this when Weiss truly reminded her of an angel. Especially when Weiss showed her nice side.

Since Yang was in a trance-like state, Weiss tilted her head, confused.

"Earth to the brute? Did I finally break you?"

"W-uh, no!" Yang hastily replied. "Thanks for the coffee. It was just unexpected is all."

With a grin, Yang accepted the insulated bottle. The surface was so warm and would stay that way for another few hours, depending on how good the bottle was. Knowing Weiss, this bottle was top quality and would trap the heat for a long time.

Weiss nodded, accepting the excuse for her sudden stupor. "We'll need the energy. We're going to have to move quickly if we want to be near Carnation by morning."

After Yang savored a sip, she adorned a mischievous grin. "You wanna go aaaaall night?"

From her suggestive smirk, Weiss blushed. "T-that's not what I meant and you know it!"

Yang giggled. Teasing her like that never got old. Her reactions were always priceless and adorable. She couldn't get enough. The blonde gestured to herself. "This brute is perfect."

"Keep telling yourself that," Weiss huffed.

Yang replied after she sipped on her coffee. "You want to travel till dawn?"

Weiss nodded to show her confirmation. "We have to cover a lot of ground as quickly as possible. We can't miss anymore school."

Yang understood her frustration. Although, school was the last thing on her mind. Right now, she was with her partner in the calm night, surrounded by singing insects in the Emerald Forest. The pink trees certainly painted her heart pink and red as well.

Despite the relaxed situation, there was worry in her partner's tone. Almost as if she was _afraid_ to miss just one class. Yang wondered where her paranoia stemmed from, but dismissed it as her being a good student.

"Relax, yeah?" the blonde soothed. "We'll make it back before Monday. Promise. Plus, if anything were to happen, Oz has our backs. It's just one of the perks of working for him."

Just like that, Weiss' worries melted into a puddle on the grass. Whenever Yang promised something, it was guaranteed to come true. She always kept her word, whether it was trivial or important.

"Okay," Weiss conceded and gazed into violet. "Thank you, Yang."

Yang timidly smiled. "Don't stress. We got this in the bag."

After she said that, she took several more sips of coffee. Except she was more slurping it and making annoying noises.

Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose. "Your manners are nonexistent."

"We're in the middle of a forest," Yang deadpanned. "Who's gonna judge me? The trees?"

Weiss perked her brow. "I don't know, those trees look judgemental."

Yang slurped more of her coffee for good measure. She then faced the trees with her arms spread wide. "Take a good look, trees! This is who I am!"

"Accept it!" Weiss yelped.

"Embrace it!"

After that, the two gazed at each other and erupted into tiny giggles. The noise of happiness echoed into the night. When they calmed down, Yang took another sip of coffee. This time quietly.

"We still need to rest since we don't know what this relic has in store for us," Weiss pointed out.

To be cautious, the partners adorned weapons. Weiss' rapier was strapped to her bag while Yang wore her brass knuckles that were already equipped

"You're right," Yang admitted. "It could be another puzzle, or more grimm."

Weiss nodded. "We should cover ground until dawn then rest before we head into the Black Forest. Does that sound good?"

"Sounds perfect, princess!"

After a nod of affirmation, Weiss rummaged around in her bag. The travel bag had one strap that wrapped around her shoulders and chest. In a second, she pulled out a map, but couldn't see it and squinted her eyes.

Yang noticed her struggle and grabbed the flashlight from her yellow bag. Easily, she clicked flicked it on and the bright light shone on the map.

"Look at that, now we have a light," Weiss noticed.

"I thought ahead," Yang pointed to herself proudly.

"Did you bring water bottles?"

"Oh crap-"

"I got you covered," Weiss eased.

"Good thinkin'," Yang replied, jokingly wiping a sweat from her forehead.

Together, the partners scanned the map. There were several pen marks. Weiss pointed along a trail she sketched. Apparently, she'd already decided the quickest, safest path from the Emerald Forest to the Black Forest.

"Smart…" Yang mumbled.

From her off-handed compliment, Weiss smiled.

"We'll go along the outskirts of the Emerald Forest," the priestess trailed her fingers along the pen-marked path. As she did so, Yang casually stole a glance at her partner's wrist. Good. She was wearing the barrier bangle as promised. "If my calculations are correct, we should be a few miles away from Carnation by dawn. Then, we can rest for a bit."

"Alright, sounds like a solid plan," Yang stated. "Should'a known you'd think this through in the few hours we were given."

"Things should go smoothly this way."

"What're we waiting for?" Yang asked excitedly. "Let's get going!"

With smiles, the two walked side-by-side deeper within the forest.

* * *

In the distance were two shadows that blended with the night.

Thanks to her faunus vision, Blake had no problems watching her two friends. She even picked up pieces of their conversation. Meanwhile, Ruby couldn't hear a thing and only had the moon's rays to guide her sight.

Thanks to their father's permission, they were out here keeping an eye on their friends.

"What'd they say, Blake? I gotta know!" Ruby harshly whispered.

"Yang's talking with Weiss and I think they're looking for something, but I'm not sure," Blake's cat ears flickered in thought. "They plan to walk all night."

Ruby processed her words for a moment. "Are we gonna keep following them?"

"Is that even a question?"

"Yes!" Ruby murmured. "I knew Weiss was the girl Yang was talking about! I knew it!"

Blake smiled when she saw Ruby so giddy. Those eager silver orbs were always a joy to bask in.

"Try to be quiet," Blake hushed nicely. "We can't have them notice us. That'd be a disaster."

Ruby nodded eagerly and placed a hand over her mouth. "You got it. Look at us on a stealth mission."

"It is an interesting predicament," Blake admitted. "It's fun so far."

She faced Ruby and fought the blush from her cheeks. Then again, Ruby probably wouldn't even noticed her face was redder than normal due to the darkness. But Blake sure noticed Ruby's faced tinted redder than her cape.

"Eheheh, I like doing things with you," Ruby said softly. "It's always fun to be around you. It never gets old."

"I-I feel the same way," Ruby didn't notice the stutter in Blake's voice.

When Blake noticed her friends' voices were becoming more faded, she realized the two were already on the move. Quickly, the faunus grasped Ruby's wrist and gently tugged her along.

"B-Blake, what's going on?"

"They're on the move."

"O-oh."

Ruby and Blake trailed several feet behind the duo. Sometimes, Ruby and Blake crouched to stay hidden. Although that was being paranoid. Blake was positive those two couldn't see this far away. Even with their flashlight. Thanks to Yang's flashlight, Ruby had an idea of where her friends were located. They were sure to be as quiet as possible.

"Hey, Blake," Ruby whispered. "Do you think they're a couple? They met up in the middle of the night. And Dad said Yang has a crush on her?"

Unintentionally, cat ears flicked and Blake murmured. "I have no idea what's going on. Maybe Yang does, that'd explain _a lot._ "

"Yeah," Ruby agreed. "What could they possibly be thinking? Why'd they meet here?"

Amber orbs widened and Blake stopped walking to process her friends' words. "I heard them say something about Carnation just now."

"Oh," Ruby chirped. "That's a few towns over. That's where they're headed?"

"I think so," Blake said softly.

"What the heck's there?" Ruby asked.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Blake stated. "Not to mention, Weiss has her rapier strapped to her bag."

"Why the heck would she need that?"

"And I'm pretty sure Yang is wearing her brass knuckles."

Ruby was nervous that her friends even needed weapons.

To make sure, Blake squinted. Sure enough, the yellow brass knuckles glimmered under the moonlight. It was times like these when Blake was thankful for her night vision.

"Yep, definitely wearing her brass knuckles."

Ruby was dumbfounded, trying to scramble her mind for an explanation. "Are they going to beat someone up?"

"By this point, nothing would surprise me."

* * *

An hour past since they began the trek.

The whole time, Yang and Weiss exchanged conversation, unaware there was an extra set of shadows lurking in the distance.

"Then I was like dude! You can't just make a joke that perfectly and not expect me to make a pun!"

"He set you up for that one," Weiss agreed.

"Right?!" Yang beamed. "So I told him, look-"

"Sh," Weiss suddenly hushed.

"What?" Yang asked irritatingly. "You can't just shush me-"

Yang was silenced when Weiss shoved a forceful hand over her mouth.

The priestess' voice lowered in a whisper. "The insects stopped singing. It's really quiet."

In response to the cold hand being plastered on her face, Yang licked her palm. Instantly, Weiss recoiled with a yelp.

"You bumbling brute!" Weiss chided. "How much more of a barbarian can you be?!"

"Learned the hard way from Rubes," Yang revealed. "Would you relax? Maybe they're finally gettin' laid."

That earned a pointy elbow to the gut, which elicited a grunt.

"What?!" Yang yelped. "They sing to get mates! Maybe they got lucky!"

"Scratch that, you just became more of a brute."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"You really shouldn't-"

A loud roar cut her off. It was so menacing and daunting that both girls shut their mouths and took a few steps backward.

Out of nowhere, an overgrown bear leaped from behind a broad tree trunk. The black mass stood on its hind legs. Spikes shot out of its back. The claws were as sharp as daggers. The red eyes sliced through the darkness.

"I-is that a bear?!" Weiss yelped.

"An ursa!" Yang exclaimed. "It was only a matter of time before one showed up!"

To prepare for the fight, Yang tossed the flashlight to the side. This close, she had no problems seeing the massive grimm. Protectively, she stepped between the ursa and her partner.

"The weak point is the red target on its head," Yang informed. "Don't waste your time on its back! Its got too much armor there!"

Like the two were flies, the ursa swatted at them. The paw narrowly missed the partners as they flipped backward.

"Got it," Weiss replied as her eyes never left the growling beast.

"And don't purify it," Yang added firmly. "We can't have you getting tired. We still have a long ways to go! Besides, the stronger grimm aren't as intimidated by purification powers."

Stoically, Weiss poised her rapier at the snarling tower.

"They should be."

* * *

"Why're they yelling?!" Ruby yelped, concern in her voice. "What's an ursa!?"

Despite Ruby's shout, Blake remained calm to process the events. Even though her friends were in possible danger, she tried to rationalize the situation.

"They seem to be dodging something-"

When Blake said that, Yang erupted into flames. She was a fiery ember that melted the darkness as she let out a war cry that boomed throughout the entire forest. It was so loud the trees around them rustled. Her blonde mane was already wild, but now it was out of control as the inferno roared brilliantly.

"Holy shit!" Ruby couldn't bite back the curse. "Y-Yang's on fire?!"

With overwhelming worry, Ruby leapt out of her hiding spot behind a tree-

Until Blake grabbed her red hood and yanked her back, which elicited a high-pitched yelp.

"We should watch," Blake suggested. "It doesn't look like her body is burning. It looks like she's in control."

To prove her theory, Yang rocketted a burning punch into the air. This caused the nearby trees to tremble violently. It didn't look like the blonde was in pain at all. In fact, Blake saw the barest hint of a smirk.

Reluctantly, Ruby sat and watched.

"Fine, but if she looks like she's hurt you can't stop me."

Blake didn't reply, too absorbed into the fight.

It wasn't the flames that caught their attention. It was those determined red eyes. Normally, Yang's lilac pools conveyed pure passion. Right now, they were eager like they were tasting the thrill of the fight.

But what were they fighting? To Ruby and Blake, there was nothing there besides Yang and Weiss. The two performed a few hasty flips, jabs, and slices at the same spot.

"Are you sure you can't see anything?" Ruby asked. "Because Yang's for sure punching something. And Weiss is stabbing air. Whatever they're hitting is in between them."

Ruby asked Blake to make sure. Honestly, Yang's flames were so bright that now Ruby could see the whole picture. It was like it wasn't even dark outside with the radiant flames. Since Ruby didn't see anything, she thought she was going crazy.

Blake lightly laughed from the pure confusion in Ruby's voice. Blake had no clue what the hell was happening with her friends. Her night vision was perfect. So the fact that she was picking up nothing worried her.

Simultaneously, the pair pinched each other.

Blake glanced down at Ruby. "Are we sure they're not on drugs?"

"Weiss on drugs?" Ruby deadpanned. "Do you hear yourself?"

"Ugh, you're right. She's too uptight to even take ibuprofen."

After they dismissed that theory, the two went back to watching the captivating display.

Together, Yang and Weiss performed acrobatic maneuvers. A few times, Weiss flipped over and lunged at whatever was assaulting the two. She narrowly dodged whatever it was because claw marks gashed the tree trunk behind her.

Yang was busy landing multiple blows on whatever it was and ended up flying backward and slamming into a nearby tree. The shout of her name from Weiss ensued. From impact, Yang let out an angered grunt. Like she wasn't in pain, but more like annoyed.

"O-okay, so they're definitely hitting something!" Ruby concluded. "People don't just crash into trees! Something hit my sister!"

The only reason Ruby didn't run to her sister's aid was because Yang recovered quickly. Her older sister pried herself away from the tree. While Yang gained her bearings, Weiss was intent on distracting it. To ease any doubts Blake might've had, she then saw Weiss float in midair. Clearly, she was hanging onto something as her body waved around like a doll. Whatever she latched onto was acting like an angry bull.

"What the…" was all Blake could mutter.

"W-Weiss is floating?!" Ruby exclaimed. "But how?!"

The sight totally demolished any rationalization Blake could think of. All logic flew out the window.

Ruby and Blake could only watch in awe. When Weiss composed herself as she was still floating, she stabbed her rapier at a lower angle. Now she was uneasily standing as the rapier stuck up from impact. The violent movement ceased and Weiss gained her footing, standing confidently.

"Off!" they heard Yang yell.

With that, Weiss leapt off the mass and landed safely behind her partner. When it was clear, Yang rocketted a punch so powerful that it caused a crippling shockwave to boom. The air around them dropped a few octaves.

Before Ruby and Blake could register what happened, a nearby tree was intensely ripped out of the roots and sounded like thousands of papers shredding. The tree crunched into the ground so harshly that a new dent in the planet was formed.

Ruby and Blake yelped from the sudden events and clung to each other for dear life. They didn't even realize how close they were since their adrenaline was pumping. All they could do was watch their friends' reactions.

When the dust settled, Yang and Weiss high-fived each other and giggled like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"W-was that normal for them!?" Ruby harshly whispered. "That was totally awesome but what?!"

The bangle around Weiss' wrist beamed brightly along with Yang's flickering flames. In unison, the lights swirled and faded into the darkness.

"Okay," Blake breathed. "For sure not on drugs."

* * *

Another few hours past. Naturally, Yang and Weiss lost stride. The two were undoubtedly slowing down.

It was almost dawn. The sun hadn't yet peaked over the horizon, but the signs were there. Trickles of light seeped into the drifting clouds and created a purple and pink color.

There wasn't another fight.

By now, the trees had dispersed. A few were here and there. Since the partners covered a lot of ground, the scenery was nothing like the Emerald Forest. The open land would serve as an advantage. This way, Yang and Weiss can easily keep an eye out for more grimm.

"What do you say we rest for now?" Yang suggested. "We'd be able to see grimm a mile away in this spot."

After Weiss glanced around, she simply shrugged in agreement. "This is as good a place as any."

Together, the partners plopped on the grass. In unison, they sighed in relief. They weren't totally exhausted, but it was nice to get off their feet after trudging for so long.

"I'll be the first watch," Weiss volunteered. "I can tell I won't be able to sleep for a while."

"You sure?" Yang asked. "I can go first if you want."

"You have bags under your eyes," Weiss observed. "I'll wake you up in a few hours and we'll switch."

"Ugh, fine," the blonde mumbled.

It was clear the priestess would keep her stance on this one. She was stubborn, so Yang didn't want to argue. She didn't want to waste time or the energy. She could also tell that her partner wasn't lying when she said she wouldn't be able to sleep. Hopefully, by the time her shift was over Weiss would sleep like a rock.

After Yang fumbled around in her bag, she pulled out her sleeping bag and laid it on top of the smooth grass. After she straightened it out, she crawled in and wrapped herself around like a cacoon.

"This is your chance to join me," Yang opened her arms as an invitation.

The offer was genuinely tempting to Weiss. Whenever she was in her partner's arms, she felt safe and secure. Surrounded by warmth. However, she dismissed this as another attempt at teasing and shyly glanced away.

"In your dreams, brute."

After Yang chuckled, she yawned. "G'night, princess. Maybe it will be in my dreams."

That comment caused Weiss to smile lightly. Yang certainly knew how to flatter her.

As Yang tried to get some shut eye, Weiss held onto her rapier and remained vigilant as she watched for grimm. She listened for any troubling sounds. For a moment, it felt as though time was still. Except the clouds roamed and drifted constantly. Weiss couldn't remember a time when she felt this serene.

As she enjoyed the pleasant atmosphere, she watched over her partner like a lion does for her pride.

When Yang snored, Weiss knew she was deep in the realm of slumber. The noise caused a smile to slip on her lips. Fondly, she gazed down at the dozing blonde and brushed gentle fingers through her hair.

 _She's such a brute. She's… perfect._

* * *

Not far away, Ruby and Blake were hidden behind a tree. Since trees became more scarce, it was getting more difficult to hide.

The two cautiously watched their friends set up camp. They were relieved since they were tired themselves.

"Weiss is first lookout," Blake told Ruby after a cat ear flicked. "Yang's sleeping first. One of us has to watch them to make sure they don't get away."

"I'll go first," Ruby volunteered. "Get some rest, okay?"

"You sure you can stay awake?" Blake asked, examining the dark circles under her eyes. "I can watch first."

"I'm good," Ruby reassured. "Don't you worry and get some sleep."

"Alright fine."

Happily, Ruby beamed a wide smile as Blake propped up next to her against a tree trunk. Ruby was at an angle where she could see her friends in the distance and also be by Blake's side. Since they couldn't risk being in the open, behind this tree would have to do.

Softly, Ruby murmured in Blake's cat ear.

"Sleep tight."

There was no reply. Only the lolling of Blake's head on her shoulder. Simultaneously, her cat ears became floppy. This caused Ruby's heart to pound a thousand miles an hour. She felt her cheeks heat up as butterflies fluttered in her stomach. It wasn't often that she got to see Blake's peaceful, resting face.

Unable to help herself, Ruby nuzzled into the crook of the taller girl's neck.

It was warm.

It reminded Ruby of the times when she nuzzled with Blake on the couch back home.

It was like this for half an hour. All the while, Ruby's heart almost burst out of her chest. The feeling of Blake huddled on her was intoxicating in the best way. Ruby couldn't get over this feeling. Especially when she felt the faint rise and falls of Blake's chest.

Several more minutes past.

There wasn't a single breeze in the lukewarm atmosphere.

Ruby found her eyelids growing heavy. Weiss wasn't doing anything. Just sitting and keeping an eye out. Probably for whatever they fought earlier. Her sister was still sleeping on the ground. Ruby could hear her snores all the way over here.

The sounds of sleep tugged on her consciousness. Unintentionally, Ruby drifted off like the world begged her to.

A few minutes couldn't hurt…

* * *

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	20. Weeping White Willows

The sun breached the horizon and shined timidly.

The rays beamed on Yang's skin as she calmly took inhaled and appreciated the sweet aroma of the plants surrounding her. Sweet, sweet nectar and pollen. The scent of pine lingered.

She'd been on the lookout for a few hours while Weiss slept. It had been nothing but peaceful during her shift. The only sounds were insects, a breeze, or Weiss' rhythmic breathing.

The blonde didn't want to, but she had to wake her partner. Weiss looked so cozy in her sleeping bag. She was wrapped in a cocoon and slept so soundly. It seemed like everything this girl did caused Yang's heart to skip a few beats. Even when Weiss scowled or scolded Yang, the blonde found her extremely attractive.

Especially as she watched her resting face.

 _An angel,_ Yang thought. _Wait, snap out of it! You gotta wake her. You have to. Even though she's adorable and I could watch her all day._

Hesitantly, Yang reached out and gently shook her shoulders. Instantly, Weiss stirred and her eyebrows knit together.

 _That was quick. She probably spent an hour wakin' me up._

Yang recalled a few hours ago when she roused to Weiss' shouts. Apparently, the blonde was a heavier sleeper than she thought. Even though she's been told her whole life she was a heavy sleeper, she never really fully believed it until now.

Slowly, Weiss propped herself up on her elbow. Weiss groaned from the haze of sleep and sat up, wiping the fatigue from her eyes.

Yang almost forgot why she woke her up when she melted from sight. Frazzled white hair was draped over her shoulders in a waterfall and her bangs covered part of her face. For once, her hair wasn't a side ponytail. The priestess was so relaxed. It was nice to see that side of her. It was like she was a different person.

"D-did you sleep well?" Yang asked, unable to stop from stammering.

"Yes," Weiss tiredly replied after a yawn. "It's time already?"

It took all of Yang's willpower not to squeal from the action. It was like she was a tiny white kitten! Except Blake was the group's kitten. Yang nodded to herself, knowing someone could never replace her friend's cattiness.

"Earth to the brute?" Weiss called, waving her hand in the blonde's face.

"O-oh uh… yeah!" she sorted her thoughts. "It's time to go. I would'a let you sleep longer, but figured you'd appreciate getting the relic ASAP."

"You're not wrong," Weiss replied with a smile.

From seeing her smile, Yang's cheeks heated up. This girl had no idea how often she tugged on Yang's heart strings.

Focused, Weiss began to pack her sleeping bag. With Yang's help, they were ready to head out in no time. Now that it was light outside, Yang happily put her flashlight back in her bag. As usual, Weiss pulled out the map and pointed at the strategic pen markings.

"We should arrive in the Black Forest in two hours."

"Alright, sounds good!"

Together, the two walked side-by-side and ventured on. There was a calm silence as Weiss got used to the light outside.

"Ya know," Yang started. "You looked so cute sleeping."

"W-what?!"

And there it was. The flustered reaction Yang fed off of.

"What?" Yang asked, sincere. "It's true."

Did Yang have no idea what she was doing to Weiss' emotions!? Her heart almost couldn't take it. It was pounding a thousand miles an hour. Heat rushed to her cheeks as she met the blonde's giddy grin. The sparkle in those lilac eyes told her Yang meant it.

"I swear…" the priestess mumbled. "How can you say those things so easily?"

"Like I said, because it's true!" Yang casually placed both hands behind her head.

Yang's grin shined brighter. It was almost sunnier than the orange orb above them. This caused Weiss' heart to thump louder like it didn't want to be ignored. If Weiss' normally pale cheeks could get any redder, Yang would be worried. Now that was a challenge she could get behind.

"You didn't cuddle with me in my dreams," the blonde teased. "Even dream Weiss can't stand me."

"I wouldn't go that far," Weiss muttered shyly.

It was true. Sometimes Weiss couldn't handle the merciless teasing. Sometimes all Weiss wanted to do was rip her infuriating partner's head off. Most of the time? She honestly enjoyed her company, but would never admit it.

"Gasp!" Yang exclaimed. "Are you saying you like me more than you let on?"

"Shut up," Weiss almost growled.

"Oh, you are insatiable," the blonde smirked.

With a plan, Weiss gripped Yang's collar in an attempt to be intimidating. That seemed to have no effect when all Yang did was grin down at the blushing, shorter girl. Annoyed, Weiss puffed her cheeks and yanked tighter.

"Woah, kinky."

"Listen you-"

An ear-shattering screech cut her off.

The sound was so intense that it caused Weiss to unintentionally release her partner. When Yang was free, she adjusted her t-shirt and both turned their heads to the direction of the noise.

There was a large mass a few meters away from them. One that was on all fours and practically sank into the ground. It adorned menacing red eyes and prominent white tusks.

Weiss squinted to get a better view of the threat. "Is that a boar?"

The seeping black mass in question curled in on itself and began to relentlessly spin in place.

"A boarbatusk," Yang corrected. "Watch out, if you're hit by its spin it hurts like hell."

Instinctively, the two crouched to defensive positions. Luckily, Yang was already wearing her brass knuckles and Weiss poised her rapier.

"If it's not one thing, it's another."

"This shouldn't take long," Yang assured. "These grimm are such a _bore_."

Weiss didn't know what was worse. The pun or the beast's ensuing shriek. The grimm probably agreed that the pun was worse.

The boarbatusk propelled itself at the girls, who dove out of the way in time. After somersaulting, the partners took defensive stances.

"The weak point is the belly!" Yang informed.

"Understood!"

* * *

"Blake! Blake, wake up! They're gone!"

It didn't take much effort for the faunus to stir. Blake had always been a light sleeper. Due to the haze of sleep, Blake groaned. As she focused those bleary amber pools, her cat ears flickered wildly from Ruby's panicked shouts.

"They're gone?" Blake rasped. "Who?"

Since Blake was still delirious from sleep, she had no idea what Ruby was talking about.

"Yang and Weiss!" Ruby yelped. "I-I kinda sorta fell asleep when I was supposed to be watching them and just woke up and now they're gone!"

Instantly, Blake shot up from the news. Memories from the night before flooded her mind. They were in the middle of nowhere for a reason!

"I knew you were too tired to stay awake!" Blake exclaimed, but not harshly.

"I'm so sorry!" Ruby apologized. "It's just it was really warm and you were next to me which was really nice and Weiss wasn't doing anything and Yang's snores pretty much rocked me to sleep that really sealed the deal-"

To silence her, Blake placed a hand over her mouth. "We all make mistakes. It's alright. Don't panic yet. Maybe they haven't gotten far."

From the thought, Ruby nodded eagerly as her cheeks painted a tint of red. After nodding, Blake lowered her hand so Ruby could speak.

"Let's look for clues."

"Good idea," Blake agreed. "Let's hurry. Every second counts."

Together, the pair darted to where they last saw their friends, where they rested for the night- in the open land . The area was only a few dozen feet away. When they got there, the pair crouched to the ground to spot any clues. When they came up blank after a few agonizing minutes, Ruby formed a plan.

"Search the left side and I'll get the right."

In a rush, the two high-fived each other and shouted in unison:

"Break!"

In a whirlwind of red, Ruby sprinted across the grass. Her silver eyes locked onto the tiniest of details in the patches of green. Some grass was mixed with dirt, so Ruby kept a careful eye on any suspicious areas. A quick glance behind her shoulder told her that Blake developed her own method. The faunus was trying to pick up a scent by running her fingers through the gentle green blades.

It wasn't until Ruby sprinted into a bare section of mud did she halt so suddenly that she almost tripped. Perturbed, she crouched to get a better look at the dent in the damp mud.

Bingo.

There was a light tennis shoe impression. The perfect example of Yang's shoe based on the size. At last, Ruby's hunting tracking skills came in handy. She silently thanked her father for all those hunting sessions. They paid off. She had to find her sister.

"Blaaaaake!" Ruby called. "Found something!"

Instantly, the faunus darted over and Ruby pointed to the ground proudly.

"It's Yang's shoe print. And it's pointing in that direction," Ruby observed.

"Let's go, then!"

With that, Blake grabbed Ruby's wrist as they picked up speed. From the contact, the two blushed, but fought to keep it together. They had to find their friends and focus.

Ruby ended up leading thanks to her natural speed. Along the way, they were reassured. More footprints showed up on more some grass like it'd been squished. There were even signs of Weiss' smaller footprints in some patches of dirt.

"Good," Blake mumbled. "This is very good."

"Yep!"

This compelled them to sprint faster. The two glided over the ground since they were flying so rapidly. Thanks to previous sports, the pair had built up a great amount of stamina and endurance for something like this.

About half an hour went by, and like any normal people, they started to lose stride. They were panting heavily and glanced amongst each other for reassurance, which compelled them to keep running. Deep down, they wondered how long they could go like this.

There were still marks on the ground, so this was still the correct direction. That gave them the push they needed. Not finding their friends wasn't an option.

A few times, Ruby and Blake dodged around some trees. They were vigilant about avoiding any vines begging to trip them. Luckily, neither girl stumbled and kept firm footing. Which was impressive for dashing for so long.

When Blake was beginning to think they'd never catch up, she spot something in the distance thanks to her perfect vision. At first, she thought she was hallucinating from the lack of oxygen. As the two neared, Blake realized the yellow blob in the distance was definitely not a figment of her imagination.

Quickly, Blake slowed. Ruby noticed this and matched her pace.

"Are you oka- agh!"

Ruby was cut short when Blake tackled her in the side. The sudden impact wasn't painful, more like unexpected. Protectively, Blake curled her fingers around Ruby's head as the two landed roughly on the grass.

"Ugh…" Ruby groaned, seeing stars. "W-what?"

"Sorry," Blake immediately apologized, keeping her voice low. "We caught up to them. I saw Yang not too far away. We need to keep a good distance."

"Ah, finally," Ruby breathed in relief.

Even she was getting tuckered out from running for so long. When Ruby snapped out of it, her cheeks flushed. Blake was on top of her. The two were extremely close she could feel her heart hammering in her chest. Probably from the intense exercise or...

Noticing her embarrassed reaction, Blake got off her in a fluster. "S-sorry about that. I didn't want them to see or hear us so… hey, are you okay?"

Ruby was still lying on the grass, so Blake helped coax her to sit up.

"I'm good, Blake," Ruby smiled. "Don't worry."

"My bad," Blake bashfully rubbed the back of her head. "I'll try not to tackle you again."

"It was fun-"

Adrenaline spiked in their systems when they heard Yang give a war cry. Quickly, Ruby and Blake peaked out from behind a tree and watched the blonde punch air. This caused another shock wave to boom throughout the area. The sound that ensued was like thunder so powerful it caused Blake's cat ears to ring. The trees shook, which caused birds to abandon their nests.

"They're fighting something again," Ruby observed.

Not a second later, Weiss joined Yang's side. She gave the taller girl a light flick to the forehead. In return, the blonde beamed a smile.

Blake's eyes narrowed from the display. "Something's definitely up. I think they're a couple."

"You think so, too?" Ruby asked, perturbed. "They sure act like it."

As Weiss and Yang walked side-by-side, Weiss playfully shoved the blonde. Yang didn't even budge. Jokingly, Yang shoved her back, but accidentally knocked the shorter girl off her feet. Even Ruby could hear the startled squeal from this distance.

There was a distant. "Oops."

Multiple inevitable chidings ensued.

* * *

A few hours had passed. Yang and Weiss finally arrived at their final destination- the Black Forest.

They could tell this was the correct forest since literally hundreds of birch trees scoured the area. The thin trees looked fragile like they would break if simply touched.

The pair walked in silence, absorbing the beautiful atmosphere. The treetops blocked the sun's rays, but it was still pleasantly warm with the occasional breeze that rustled the leaves.

Weiss pointed to the map and showed it to her partner. "The river should be up ahead. Ms. Goodwitch said the arc is just before we reach it."

"Alright, almost there!" Yang beamed. "At this rate we'll be back before tomorrow."

"That would be ideal," Weiss commented, liking the idea of having a whole day to rest. Maybe she could enjoy the garden again.

When Yang heard the unmistakable sound of cascading water, she darted ahead.

"This way!"

From her partner's childlike giddiness, Weiss playfully rolled her eyes and picked up the pace.

Yang signaled for her to come over to her. "C'mere, princess-"

There was the river alright. It was a gem blue and sparkled. Just like Glynda said, there were two trees that formed a magnificent arc before the glimmering stream. The large trees tilted perfectly to form the breathtaking arc naturally. The sun rested in the middle of the arc and beamed on it like it was part of heaven.

Yang would've found it ethereal, but…

These trees were a ghostly white. Much larger and broader than the other birch trees. In fact, the two trees that formed this arc weren't birch trees at all. The leaves dangled off the branches in a web-like fashion. Any creature that entered wouldn't escape and would get tangled.

Worriedly, Yang checked on her partner for a reaction.

That's when Weiss tasted the sight, her azure orbs swam in the scene. Her eyes went from eager to display sadness. Her face showed no signs of distress. Only hardened, years of perfected stoicness.

Yang tightened her fists. That struck a chord in her heart. The fact that Weiss displayed no emotion from the sight. The fact that she chose not to confide in her. She couldn't imagine the inner turmoil Weiss was experiencing.

"Weeping Willow trees?" Yang said softly. "What kind of sick joke is this?"

"It's okay, Yang," Weiss reassured and used a voice that strove for steadiness. "Let's just figure out where the relic is, alright?"

Despite the stern voice, Yang caught the barest hint of sorrow. Yang wanted nothing more than to comfort her partner, but it was clear she wanted to focus on the mission. Probably to keep her mind off the glaring Willow trees that reminded her of her mother. Reluctantly, Yang loosened her fists.

"Yeah, okay."

* * *

"We made it," Ruby observed. "We're officially in the Black Forest."

The only way she could tell was the dozens and literally endless number of birch trees.

Blake nodded. "Carnation's not even a mile from here."

"Okay so..." Ruby tried to put the pieces together. "Why'd they come here? They aren't beating someone up?"

Still a plausible theory considering her friends still adorned both weapons. In fact, they were oddly attached to them. The rapier was strapped to the light blue bag and Yang still wore her brass knuckles.

One of Blake's cat ears flicked. Since there were plenty of trees around now, the two followed their friends more closely. This allowed Blake to pick up bigger pieces of their conversations.

"I just heard Weiss say something about finding a relic."

"A relic?" Ruby repeated. "That makes no sense."

As if the mystery couldn't get stranger…

Blake shrugged. "Guess we have to wait and see."

Ruby nodded, and the two went back to watching their friends from a safe distance. Weiss was searching the ground not far away from Yang. Every now and then, she'd glance over her shoulder to check on her partner. Yang prowled around the Willow trees. Since this forest was covered in fragile birch trees, the Willows stuck out like sore thumbs. It was clear that Weiss wanted to avoid any sort of contact with the arc.

After a few minutes, Yang straddled the left Willow's trunk. Due to the cascading leaves, Ruby and Blake had a hard time watching her. The web of leaflets blocked majority of the view. However, the pieces they did see, it was obvious that Yang found the tree to be suspicious of something. Probably of hiding the relic.

Experimentally, Yang pressed on the broad trunk. Her hand left a sizable dent in the bark. Swiftly, she pulled away in confusion. She didn't even touch it that hardly.

Seconds later, the planet violently trembled. The shaking was so forceful it was like a level five earthquake. Dozens of the birch trees crashed from the tremors in a domino effect.

It was so aggressive that Ruby and Blake were knocked off their feet. Hastily, they held onto and protected each other. All they could do was wait for it to be over. The sounds of trees ripping out of roots lingered along with frantic bird squawks.

A few agonizing seconds felt like an eternity. At last, the shudders ceased.

"Are you okay?!" Ruby asked.

"Yeah, are you?"

"Mhm," Ruby assured.

Together, the two stood with the help of each other. Thankfully, neither one of them was injured. In case, Ruby worriedly checked on Blake. There wasn't even a rip in her clothing or the slightest scratch, thank goodness.

"What the heck was that?!" Ruby yelped.

"Insane," was all Blake could say.

Most of the surrounding trees had fallen. Pieces of branches, trunks, and leaves littered the area. It was a miracle that neither girl was crushed under one. Brown dust was still rising from the aftermath. Yet somehow, both Willow trees remained intact.

"Wait," Ruby said with realization. "Where's Yang and Weiss?!"

Frantically, they whipped their heads around. Their friends were nowhere to be seen. Not even out in the open in this new prairie.

"This…" Blake murmured. "Isn't good."

"Where'd they go?!"

"No clue."

In a panic, Ruby rushed over to where she last saw Yang. That damn Willow tree!

She bolted to the magnificent trees that were still tilted at the perfect angle for the arc. Before Ruby could get within several feet of them, she stopped in her tracks with a gasp. Her lips trembled and silver eyes widened bigger than dinner plates as her head dipped down.

"Uh, Blake?" Ruby called. "I think I know where they went."

Blake was more confused than ever. From Ruby's tone, she was concerned and frightened. It was a daunting mix. Confused, Blake joined her side and also lowered her head to see what was below.

And her jaw dropped.

* * *

 **Awwwww what happened to Yang and Weiss? Are they in trouble again? Come on ladies stop giving us heart attacks!**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	21. We Fell For That One

The two were falling.

Falling into the darkness without an end.

Yang and Weiss were screaming bloody murder.

This drop had to have an end. The chasm had to have a bottom. It couldn't stretch for eternity. They had to hit the ground at some point. They were plummeting too fast to land safely. When they reached the bottom, they were going to die.

With her adrenaline pumping, Yang erupted into flames to prevent that from happening. She didn't care about their odds. She'd be damned if she gave up so easily. A frenzy of emotion exploded within her soul. It felt _so_ right at this moment. Now, her cries and grunts were of sheer, unyielding determination.

With the flames as her guide, Yang was able to spot Weiss just a few feet to the left. Maybe if she could get to her, everything would be okay. She always felt invincible when Weiss was by her side. With her, Yang could soar beyond any boundary.

Rapidly, Yang sprawled her arms out like a bird, letting the wind connect with her body, slowing her just a bit. Easily, she was able to glide over to Weiss as the ball of heat engulfed them both.

Yang wrapped her arms tightly around the smaller girl, clinging to her even as she screamed. The moment she made contact with her, Weiss composed herself as the flames consumed her vision. The darkness was replaced by a burning yellow inferno that roared brilliantly.

Yang didn't care what happened to herself, as long as Weiss was okay.

 _I'll protect you even if it kills me!_ Yang thought. _Even if my strength isn't enough, I'll make it work!_

With that in mind, Yang whipped her princess in front of her, making sure her own back was lined up with the ground. Instinctively, Weiss curled into Yang, her hands covering the back of the blonde's head.

The reassurance was comforting. Again, Weiss found herself in her protective arms. That gave her a sense of safety and assurance that things would be alright if they worked together.

However, they were _still_ falling.

Wishful thinking aside, they had to act fast.

The wind violently whipped through their forms. The bangle bracelet around Weiss' wrist glowed a white light. The yellow flames and white fog swirled together, creating a burning meteor.

With all her might, Yang braced her aura and channeled it around their forms. The yellow outlined her and her partner protectively. Yang could feel Weiss doing the same. Her solid, chilling white energy burst and overran their forms.

For a moment, Yang thought she was hallucinating. Since her back was facing the bottom, she couldn't see properly. She could've sworn that she saw a few white sigils. However, they faded as soon as she fell through them. Her body felt like it was slowing down.

Yang could feel the girl in her arms squirming, striving for a better hold to protect Yang's head.

A second later, Yang slammed into the ground, absorbing the brutal force of both hers and Weiss' momentum. It was like the Earth devoured and chewed on them with sharp teeth.

Jagged stone and dust spewed in all directions.

The shock was more than enough to smother the white and yellow flames and knock them out.

* * *

"Uh, Blake?" Ruby called. "I think I know where they went."

From Ruby's tone, she was concerned and frightened. It was a daunting mix. Confused as ever, Blake joined her side and lowered her head to see what was below.

And her jaw dropped.

Just below them, there was an abyss. A gaping hole in the planet split apart and ate their friends. The sheer size of the hole was staggering. Give or take a half a mile wide.

One misstep and Ruby and Blake would fall in the unrelenting darkness. Even the sun's rays didn't- couldn't- pierce through the blackness. The dark overpowered the light, almost suffocating the rays.

Beads of sweat rolled down their faces as amber and silver examined the death trap.

"T-they have to be down there, right?" Ruby asked, unable to stop from stuttering, tears threatening to fall. "Where else would they go?"

Blake tried to wrap her mind around the events. Ruby was right. Where else would her friends disappear to? The sky?

After a gulp, crouched lower to the ground. "How far down is it?"

"I-I don't know," Ruby shakily replied as she knelt next to her. "Looks like it goes pretty far. Ohmygoshthisisinsane."

Even with Blake's night vision, the bottom of the pit was unseeable. It was like the darkness interfered with her specialized pupils.

"I guess we should find out," the faunus said as she gazed knowingly at the worried Ruby.

Taking the hint, Ruby conjured a spit wad. When she was little, Yang used to tease and torment her with this childlish prank. Yang would accumulate a wad of spit and mercilessly dangled it above her face as she pinned the smaller girl down. Ruby always squealed and yelped, calling for her father.

Most of the time, Yang was just playing around and never intended to allow the grossness to plop on her face. Ah, those were fond memories Ruby recalled as she flung the biggest wad of spit and spewed it down the hole.

The noises Ruby made during the process caused Blake to cringe and almost ask her why. Ask if the cringe-worthy sounds were necessary. But she sucked it up and let it happen, hoping it would be a dense saliva ball so she could hear properly whenever it plopped on the bottom.

Intently, Blake leaned over with her cat ears perked up and alert. Ruby joined her and listened as the two poked their heads over the hole. It was a good thing the surrounding forest was leveled. Otherwise, the previous insects' chirpings would prove difficult to ignore and hone in on the inevitable sound of landing.

About half a minute went by and Ruby was growing frustrated. She didn't hear a thing. At last, Blake's cat ear flickered. There was the faintest plop like the spit tapped on water.

"Did you hear it?" Ruby asked.

"Good news, there's a bottom."

"That's a long drop," Ruby stated. "If they really fell then they can't be okay after that, can they?"

"It's hard to say," Blake replied. "You saw for yourself. They're tough. They fought whatever that thing was with flames and a rapier and brass knuckles. Maybe this fall isn't much of a challenge for them."

Ruby liked the possibility. Her sister and friend were certainly something. Definitely not people she'd want to pick a fight with. Not that she would before, but definitely not now. Not after what she saw what they were capable of the last couple of days.

"Either way," Ruby began. "We have to go after them."

Blake smirked and nodded firmly. "Glad we're on the same page."

Together, Ruby and Blake could think of a solid strategy. The sooner they could think of something, the sooner they'd know if their friends were okay.

"We're the best team," Ruby stared at Blake sternly. "Let's form a plan, partner."

Despite Ruby speaking with determination, Blake could tell she was immensely worried. To ease her nerves, Blake softly grasped the girl's hand, which elicited a blush as red as Ruby's name.

"I'd like nothing more."

* * *

The first thing her body struggled to do was groan.

Lilac eyes blearily opened, only to receive darkness and floating debris.

Her body was glued into the dented ground as she struggled to lift her head. Slowly, her skull tore away from the rocks and protested the movement. Another groan slipped out of her lungs as she tried to loosen her stiff body.

Yang was extremely confused. Why was it so dark? Where was she?

To get answers, Yang tried to sit up, only to plop back down from the creeping pain. Every joint in her body ached and loudly protested.

Why was she in pain?

To prepare herself, Yang grit her teeth. Slowly, she turned her head to check herself over. Good, just a few scratches and some big bruises. Nothing looked broken or out of place. Her clothing was torn apart and dirt scoured every inch of her form, but otherwise she was fine.

Hesitantly, Yang set her hand on her forehead to ease the ache. She felt like a train rammed into her full force. The meteor-like hole she was in the center of reminded her of what happened. Maybe a train would've been the better option.

She fell. She fell a long way.

The feeling of falling registered in her brain. On instinct, her adrenaline began to pump as she glanced around. This was the bottom of the abyss, huh? Below the opening, there wasn't even the slightest speck of sunlight. She guessed this was what she'd expect of an abyss. There was nothing down here.

Except-

"Weiss!"

Instantly, Yang shot up like a rocket. Even faster than the speed of her falling. Just the thought of Weiss crumbled somewhere in the darkness was enough for Yang to ignore the pain. Luckily, she still had some aura left, so she flared it to look for her partner, and to place a band aid over her entire body.

Hastily, Yang glanced around, pleasantly noticing that she was able to walk properly. Maybe the combination of both of their auras acted as a steel-like barrier and lessened the brunt of the blow. The yellow flames gradually eased her pain as she looked for Weiss.

A few feet away, she spotted Weiss. She was covered and dirt and was camouflaged with the jagged pieces that she was propped up against. From the looks of it, she was okay. None of her limbs were horribly bent, and she was in one piece.

With her adrenaline still fueling, Yang headed over. She knelt in front of the girl as the surrounding flames emitted a calm ember like the sun.

"Weiss? Weiss, hey…"

Calling out to her didn't work, so Yang set a gentle hand on her shoulder. Like lava, her warm aura flowed and washed over the unconscious priestess. Seconds later, Weiss' eyebrows knit together as her face flinched.

Yang leaned in closely, coaxing her to wake by channeling more aura into her.

"Y-Yang…?" Weiss rasped out weakly.

"I'm here," Yang stated softly.

From the tranquil flames, Weiss quickly shut her eyes. That was almost blinding after just waking up. Yang whispered an apology as she gained her bearings. When she was ready, Weiss opened her pale blue eyes again, relieved to see Yang seemed okay.

"Are you okay?" Yang asked. "Does anything hurt?"

"My entire body," Weiss grimaced as she experimentally moved her arm.

Despite the tense atmosphere, Yang gave her a small smile.

"Yeah, same. We _fell_ for that one, huh?"

"You brute," Weiss murmured. "Waking up to one of your puns is a nightmare in itself."

"There she is," Yang lightly chuckled. If the first thing Weiss did was throw the sass after waking up, she was fine. Probably just sore. "Here," Yang offered her hand and Weiss accepted the gesture.

Together, the two stood firmly. Surprisingly, neither wobbled nor needed extra help. The combined aura strategy certainly spared them a lot of pain, or even more, a literal lifesaver.

"Are you okay?" Weiss asked. Her partner was scraped up, but she wanted to be sure.

"I'm all good," Yang stated. "Somethin' like that can't _take me down_."

Another annoyed groan.

"That was even better!" Yang exclaimed. "Don't pretend you didn't like it."

"That was a real knee slapper," Weiss said sarcastically. "Ignoring you doesn't sound so bad."

"Good luck with that," Yang huffed. "Our voices bounce off the walls down here."

The priestess lightly sighed. "It's impossible to ignore you either way."

"Glad you understand that," Yang practically sang.

After Yang sent her a grin, the two looked around. Since Yang was a bright torch, they were able to really grasp the situation and the scene. All around, there were stone walls, as to be expected. Spikes dangled from the ceiling and protruded from the walls on all sides. There was plenty of space and multiple paths they could take.

As Yang and Weiss ventured down the middle, they were careful not to ram into any spikes. It was silent besides their footsteps and few water drops in the distance.

There were no hints of habitation whatsoever. Which was extremely lucky for them.

Thanks to Yang's natural light, Weiss found her blue bag and Yang's yellow one. She briskly went over to grab both.

"Thanks, princess."

Instantly, Yang reached in hers and grabbed the flashlight.

"Save your aura," Weiss recommended. "We don't know what's down here. It looks vacant, but we could have company."

"Yep," Yang replied, popping the 'p.'

With that, Yang deactivated her aura and flicked on the switch. With the small limited beam as their guide, the two investigated the chasm. Since it was full of the unknown, the partners were cautious as they rounded a corner.

When it was safe, Weiss spoke. "What'd you do to cause us to fall for what felt like miles?"

"It probably was a few miles," Yang commented. "I love how you know it was my fault. I pressed on the tree trunk and bam, we became birds. The rowdiest bunch, might I add."

Weiss gave her an annoyed look.

"Hey, don't gimme that! How was I supposed to know that we'd be swallowed whole?!"

"I suppose this is a blessing in disguise," Weiss replied. "The relic must be down here."

"You think so?"

Yang was baffled from the suggestion. Then again, the last relic piece was in a cave similar to this.

"I know so," Weiss stated confidently. "Why would there be a hidden trap? Whatever or whoever hid the relic obviously doesn't want us to find it. Be ready for a fight."

"I'm always ready to kick some butt," Yang punched her fists together for emphasis.

Weiss gave her a knowing smirk. If there was one thing that riled up her partner, it was the thrill of combat. Even when they were in this underground cave, her confidence shined so brightly it was infectious.

As the two ventured deeper within the abyss, there was more silence.

Jokingly, Yang cupped her hands over her mouth. "Echo, echo!"

The sudden loudness caused Weiss to flinch, startled.

"You brute!"

"Aw, did I scare ya? I was just checkin' for grimm!" Yang beamed mischievously. "It doesn't look like anything's here, so that's good."

"That doesn't-"

Accidentally, Weiss stepped on what felt like a panel. Compared to the dirt she'd been walking on, the surface felt like metal. The questionable surface sank under her right foot and she hastily yanked away.

"W-what is-"

A loud rumble. Like a stomach was growling from being neglected.

"Are you kidding me?!" Yang threw her arms up. "Another trap?!"

"My bad."

"Looks like we're even now."

The ground shook, but not forcefully. Protectively, they scooted close to each other to prepare for what was to come.

To the left of the pair, the stone walls split apart in layers. Hastily, Weiss poised her rapier and Yang lifted her fists, both lowering to the ground in defensive positions.

Weiss seethed through grit teeth. "There can only be so many traps in one day."

"Let's hope this is the last one."

Tension was high as several moments of silence passed. They glared into the new abyss, but saw nothing until Yang angled the flashlight on the area.

An ear-piercing screech ensued and several bats flew out of the newly formed entrance. Qucikly, the partners to ducked to avoid the wild animals.

"Ah!" Weiss shrieked. "So gross!"

"They're just bats!" Yang yelled over the swarm. "At least they didn't poop on you!"

Eventually, the swarm faded in the distance and past the two without incident. To be sure nothing else was in there, Yang shined the flashlight on the abyss.

Another screech. It was so loud that the air vibrated and rumbled.

"W-what's in there!?" Weiss yelped as she clung to Yang.

Yang kept the light firmly on the darkness, waiting for the slightest hint of movement.

The creature responsible for the shattering shrieks crawled out from the depths like some demon spawn. It had a jet-black exoskeleton underneath several white bone-like plates upon its back, which was adorned with red markings. There were ten burning red eyes instead of the normal two. The most prominent attribute was the glowing golden stinger on its tail.

This sent shivers down their spines. That stinger was as sharp as a butcher knife.

The scorpion creature also had a pair of pincers that slammed into the nearby wall in its haste. Judging by the moss on its back, it'd lain dormant for a long time. Until Weiss stepped on the trigger and Yang gave it a nasty awakening.

Despite the intimidating beast, the two remained focused.

The yellow stinger and the multiple red ominous eyes glowed in the surrounding darkness. The stinger emitted a yellow color, but there was also a glimmer of white in the center. As Weiss narrowed her eyes, she realized a shard was embedded in the stinger.

This didn't go missed by Yang, who cracked her knuckles.

"Looks like the relic came to us."

* * *

 **The lyrics mentioned in this chappy are from the song I'm a Believer by Amalee. Each of these quotes referred to the fall. There was nooooo way they'd die from that and their determination definitely paid off.**

"' **I don't care about our odds' - I'm a dreamer! Yeah, I'm a believer!"**

"' **What's this frenzy of emotion? It feels so right in this moment.'"**

" **You'll never hear me say, 'I think I'm at my limit.' No, 'I'll soar beyond that boundary.'"**

 **Also mentioned was Cross the Line: "To protect the people I love even when the strength I have is not enough."**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	22. Nailed It

"Looks like the relic came to us."

Sternly, Yang kept the flashlight beam directly on the massive scorpion. The yellow stinger and the multiple red ominous eyes glowed in the surrounding darkness. The lure emitted a yellow color, but there was also a glimmer of white in the center.

Weiss narrowed her eyes at the glaring target and glanced at her partner. "Ready?"

Since this was a large beast, it'd be more difficult to take down. The pincers would probably be the biggest threat aside from the poisonous stinger.

Eager, Yang tossed the flashlight on the grimm's sturdy head. This elicited another screech that amplified due to the stone walls.

"Nailed it."

"You barbarian!" Weiss chided. "All you did was irritate it!"

"This deathstalker's been outta commission," Yang observed. From the moss on its back, it'd lain dormant in this damp place. "It's probably a little rusty."

"That doesn't mean it's any less dangerous."

To help them see, Yang erupted into flames. The overgrown scorpion was a massive dark mass that let out another screech as it charged the duo. In response, they hastily tumbled to the side as the beast ravaged the wall they previously stood in front of. The impact caused the Earth to rattle.

When the two poised their weapons, Weiss spoke.

"It's faster than it looks."

The moment she said that, one of its pincers swept across the ground. Weiss narrowly dodged the jab as she did a front handspring and landed with a concise somersault. Thankfully, Yang was there to intercept the pincers before the beast could attempt another swing.

The blonde and beast were locked in place in a stand still.

"I! Hope! You're! Hungry!"

In rapid succession, Yang landed several blows at the head in between the mini tusks. All while one of her bare hands held back the straining right pincer.

While she was busy punching the screeching and shaking grimm, Weiss appeared behind it. With her rapier, she slashed its tail, hoping for a clean cut. However, the white exoskeleton was like iron and much harder than she anticipated. The thin sword left several marks, but failed to slice off the base. She cursed herself for thinking she could hack through the bony plates.

Another ominous scream. The grimm probably hated being double-teamed from the front and the back. Apparently, Weiss was inflicting more damage than she thought because the scorpion whirled around and smacked her directly in the torso with a pincer.

A gasp fled from her lungs as she was forcefully knocked back and slammed into a boulder.

"Weiss!"

Checking her partner became priority. The stupid monster could wait.

With all Yang's might, she grabbed a pincer before the beast could crawl after Weiss. With a war cry, Yang flung the grimm around and hurled it in the opposite direction with brutal strength. Every muscle in her body strained from the weight, but complied and rippled as the grimm careened into a nearby wall.

The moment Yang heard the satisfying, inevitable crunch, she rushed over to her partner. Thankfully, Weiss was already on her feet and ready for round two. The boulder behind her was dented.

"You okay?" Yang asked, concern showing in her voice.

Weiss nodded. "My aura absorbed most of the blow. Listen, I have a plan."

Azure orbs eyed the thin black line that connected with the large yellow stinger.

That had to be the weak spot.

"Oh?" Yang asked.

"Throw me at the stinger."

"What?!" Yang yelped, her lilac eyes exploded in shock. "If you get stung your aura won't even fix it!"

The massive beast wobbled as it ripped away from the spiked wall. The yellow lure dangled from the tail as it whirled around. They didn't have time to talk before the grimm would charge them again.

"Then I'm counting on you to make sure it won't be a direct hit," the priestess retorted.

"That's-"

Another high-pitched shrill. The sound was painful. Like scratching a chalkboard. It caused both girls to grimace.

"Do it, please!" Weiss exclaimed.

"Since you said 'please!'"

Hurriedly, Yang scooped her in her arms and twirled her around to hold her torso. Yang only needed one hand as she aimed the smaller girl like a football. Trust was most important, so Yang figured her partner had an unbeatable plan in mind. With the roaring flames, it was easy to see the target several feet away as it charged the two.

Firmly, Yang yanked her backward.

"Ready?!"

After Weiss adjusted her rapier, she yelled. "Now!"

With that, Yang hurled her partner forward like a javelin. It was so forceful that it left an air propulsion in its wake. Now that her partner was literally soaring, Yang hastily sprinted after her and to the beast.

Weiss glided in the air like a bullet in the darkness. White streaks surrounded her form. Once she was halfway to the grimm, she barreled rolled to the side. At intense speeds, she managed to soar just below the stinger and slice the thin black, exposed skin with full force.

Directly after, Weiss smashed into the bony white, curled tail that held up the yellow stinger. The oxygen in her lungs was knocked out of her as she slid unceremoniously onto its wiggling back. Now that she was lying down, the screeching was so violent she could feel the vibrations through its armor.

Her strategy was not in vain since the stinger dropped on the deathstalker's head.

Since there was a broad white plate protecting the head from its own stinger, that did little damage. Until Yang hopped on and pounded it violently with her brass knuckles. The sheer force was enough to shatter the bone plates like glass. The sharp lure dug into the exposed head. Bits of white spewed from the exoskeleton as Yang mercilessly beat the grimm.

The deathstalker spasmed and convulsed, letting out strangled cries. This didn't last however, and the beast suddenly went limp on the harsh ground. Yang sighed in relief when she watched the first signs of the monster dissipate.

Yang breathed heavily as she smirked in satisfaction from the sight. Red eyes shifted to lilac.

"Weiss!"

Swiftly, Yang retrieved her partner from its vanishing back and lifted her bridal style. She hopped off the withering corpse before it completely disappeared with the girl in her arms. Weiss was grimacing from the previous blow. Her aura could only protect her for so long.

"Are you okay?" the blonde knelt on the ground and used a low whisper. "You kicked some serious ass."

Despite the pain, Weiss gave her a small smile. " _We_ did."

A light chuckle. "Now we nailed it."

"Yes, yes we did."

Yang felt the priestess try to sit up, so she coaxed her by placing a hand on her back. Now, the two were sitting on the ground trying to gain their bearings.

"Really though, are you okay?" Yang wanted to clarify. "You took two hard hits."

Weiss seemed fine aside from a few scratches and bruises. Her aura had to take the brunt of the blow. Otherwise, Weiss would have a few broken bones. Yang was starting to wonder how much aura her partner had left. From using her flames for so long, Yang was starting to feel the first signs of drained aura as well.

"Aura depletion," Weiss stated. "I have some left, but not a lot. I've been drained worse."

Yang breathed a sigh of relief. "Glad to hear it."

If that's all it was, Yang felt an immense amount of pressure lift off her shoulders. Her partner was something else. When the two composed themselves, they stood with the help of each other.

"Are you okay?" Weiss asked, equally concerned.

"Yeah, that was nothin'," Yang beamed.

Weiss placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. There was a glistening layer of sweat on Yang's face. The taller girl wouldn't admit it, but the fight and day's events were catching up to her. To both of them.

"Save your aura," Weiss said softly. "Let's find the flashlight you oh so graciously threw at the death stalker."

"That's how you get a fight going. Make the flashlight do all the work."

With the roaring flames, they were easily able to find the flashlight that was hidden under some broken rocks. It wasn't too far away from the beast's corpse that was still chipping away. Specks of black melted with the shadows.

Once Yang picked up the flashlight, she deactivated her aura and sighed in relief.

"Feel better?" Weiss asked.

Yang nodded with a tired smile. "Tons."

The small beam was their guide to the shining relic. It didn't take long to find since it glowed in the darkness.

"There it is," Yang pointed, having Weiss look over.

Since most of the corpse was gone, the relic stuck out like a sore thumb. Now that the stinger faded, the shard was bare on the cold ground.

To grab the prize, Weiss bent down. Before she could touch the treasure, she was forcefully shoved to the ground.

Yang frantically yelled. "Duck!"

A high-pitched shriek ensued as Weiss crumbled on the ground in a daze. She confusedly looked up to see Yang in a defensive position. Lilac eyes darted all around her and her teeth were grit. Yang whipped her head back and forth several times as she stepped backward.

"Yang?" Weiss called confusedly.

Nothing was there.

But Yang didn't reply, which compelled Weiss to shakily stand. Instead of using an irritated tone, she used a concerned one.

"Yang? What's wrong?"

In response, Yang protectively stepped in front of the priestess and lifted her fists.

"Beowolves! A bunch of 'em!"

"What're you talking about? Nothing's here- agh!"

Suddenly, Weiss was sucker punched from behind. This sent her sprawling to the ground again with a groan. Her aura was weakened and failed to guard her properly from the blow. Darkness rimmed her vision, but she desperately fought it off.

With a war cry, Yang swung at one of the beowolves, only to see it vanish before her very eyes. The combination of this and hearing her partner's anguished whine snapped her out of it.

"W-what the…"

Yang looked around and noticed that all the beowolves were gone. Vanished into thin air. When she heard stumbling behind her, Yang rushed to her partner. With Yang's help, Weiss found her footing as she held the back of her head with a grimace.

"What happened to you?" Yang asked.

"What happened to me?!" Weiss yelped. "What happened to _you_?! Have you gone insane?!"

The yells caused her head to throb, but she ignored the pain.

"I-I don't know!" Yang exclaimed, flailing her arms in emphasis. "There were tons of beowolves and I hit one and it disappeared! Now I don't see any!"

"There weren't any to begin with!"

"Well sooooorry I tried to protect you!"

"And I'm sorry you've gone insane- agh!"

"Hey, hey, easy," the blonde soothed. "What happened?"

Weiss clutched her head as she grimaced through the pain. "Something hit me when you went crazy."

"Maybe it was a beowolf."

"It wasn't a beowolf!"

Silence followed as Weiss' irritated voice boomed through the abyss. Worriedly, Yang placed a hand on the back of the shorter girl's head.

"Don't waste your aura," Weiss said and lowered her partner's hand.

Yang gave her a frown. "This wouldn't be wasting it."

There was a huff in the distance. A low huff. An unfamiliar sound. It wasn't beast-like. It sounded like a person. The partners could hear the smirk in the voice.

Slowly, Yang and Weiss faced the direction of the voice. Standing where the corpse used to lay were two people. Unexpected arrivals that caused their stomachs to churn. Never in a million years did they think that they'd get involved-

"Mercury?! Emerald?!" Yang blurted. "What the hell are you doin' here?!"

They didn't like this. They didn't like this one bit. Both of the new arrivals were smirking knowingly. It was infuriating. Especially when the partners noticed that the boy had the small relic in his grasp. He was playing with it, tossing it up and down like it was a toy. He acted like he owned the place.

"Wait," Emerald interjected, amusement in her tone. "You really _do_ have no clue!"

The green-haired girl erupted into ominous snickers. She was laughing so hard that she had to hold her stomach. The sickles attached to her back wiggled from the chuckles.

"We're taking this, blondie," Mercury smirked as he flipped the relic like a coin.

"Enough games!" Yang shouted, her hair set ablaze. "Why do you want it!?"

Emerald and Mercury just stared at her with those devilish grins, not saying a word.

Calmly, Weiss stepped forward and used a stern tone. "Give. It. Back."

The demand caused a shiver to shoot down Yang's spine. Weiss certainly didn't act like it, but she was _furious_.

Mercury caught the relic and glared at the two. "Or what?"

In a challenge, Emerald stepped forward. "The relic's not yours, priestess."

Just the way she addressed Weiss told the partners that their classmates knew far more than they let on. This was a set-up.

Yang balled her fists. "It's not yours, either! Give it or we'll take it by force!"

Emerald and Mercury sent each other mischievous smiles. From the looks of it, Yang and Weiss were in no condition to fight. Both girls were covered in dirt, scratches, and bruises, their clothing marred and tattered. Not to mention that they couldn't stand upright. Each had a slight hunch from exhaustion and a layer of sweat from exertion.

"Heh," Mercury scoffed. "You don't look like you're ready for a fight. Besides, the relic belongs to My Lady."

From the statement, Yang was taken aback. "Who?"

That's when a woman appeared from behind a large boulder. Her heels clinked on the stone ground as she appeared by her allies. When the flashlight beamed on her, Yang and Weiss took in her features.

The woman adorned ashen black hair and amber eyes. Her outfit was a dark red, off-the-shoulders, v-neck mini dress with flashing yellow designs. The dark red sleeves ended in a triangle shape, which tied around her middle finger.

Strapped to her back was a pair of deadly dual blades.

Above all, the woman had a devilish smirk.

Her alluring voice echoed in the abyss.

"You girls are sorely mistaken. The rightful owner of the relic is me."

From the sight of her, Yang's could hardly contain her fury. "Cinder!"

Hatred leaked in her voice, a fact Weiss didn't miss.

That name… her appearance… they were all familiar.

The room began to draw in on the priestess. Out of all the woman's features, that impish smirk was the one that struck her as most familiar. It was suffocating and sawed her heart in half. For a moment, time stopped.

Barely audibly, Weiss whispered.

"Cinder…"

* * *

 **Stay Dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	23. Why Can't I Even Breathe?

Barely audibly, Weiss whispered.

"Cinder…"

That devilish smirk was geared toward the priestess. Cinder crossed her arms as she absorbed the full glory of how her presence affected her.

The white-haired girl in question was noticeably stiff. Despite that, her body was slightly shaking. It was like she was locked in place and chained to the ground. As if the sight couldn't get more satisfying, multiple beads of sweat rolled down her face, and she was paler than a ghost.

This didn't go unnoticed by her blonde partner, who placed a hand on her back for comfort.

"Weiss…?" Yang was almost afraid to call her name. "What's wrong?"

Now that she was touching her, she felt a rasp in her breathing. It was like her partner was too afraid to even _move_. To speak. Azure orbs remained fixed on Cinder. The pools of blue were foggy like she wasn't all there mentally. It was a miracle that she somehow still had a grip on her rapier.

A ripple of worry shot down Yang's spine when she received no reply. Perhaps Weiss was trapped in her own mind. Chained down by her own thoughts that caused her to lock up. Whatever the cause was, Yang was certain it had to do with the half-demon.

Cinder had a crippling effect on her.

Satisfied, Cinder glared at Weiss. "What ails you, girl?"

Immediately, Yang jumped to her defense. "Shut up!"

"My," Cinder drawled as she fiddled with the relic. "You have quite the temper."

A low, intimidating growl ripped from Yang's throat. It was almost beast-like as it rumbled. Luckily, she was anchored to Weiss, so she refused to let herself lose her temper and go berserk on the enemy. That would only spell trouble. Three against one wouldn't turn out well.

Mercury, Emerald, and Cinder obviously knew many things the partners didn't. Otherwise, they wouldn't have addressed Weiss as 'priestess' earlier, or even be here in this abyss that was obviously a trap. Yang would put money on the fact that the three had been watching and waiting for them to find the relic so they could snatch it at the right time.

After Mercury stole a glance at his master, he glared back at Yang. "You guys are idiots."

Yang lowly huffed. "That all you got? Weak insults? Can't you do better?"

After Emerald received a nod of approval from Cinder, she spoke. "The food fight was to measure your abilities. After that, we knew we had absolutely _nothing_ to worry about. Taking the relic from you was easier than Port's tests."

It took all of Yang's self-control to not let the anger boil over. Her whole body felt like it was emitting steam. She took a deep breath to compose herself as it whistled in the abyss. Some flames around her flickered, but they withered away before they could become a raging inferno.

The fact that the were classmates made this more unsettling. Yang and Weiss shared classes with these two. The whole time, they were being watched? Yang clenched her jaw as she pondered being stalked like some prey. She _despised_ it.

Despite Yang's inner turmoil, her hand was still on the smaller girl's back, so the contact was reassuring. The coldness Weiss unintentionally radiated provided a welcomed ice pack for her fiery aura.

Come to think of it, Weiss still hadn't said a word or even moved. Worriedly, Yang checked on her and realized that she was still the same. Weiss was still staring at the taller woman in burning red.

It was then that Cinder's devilish expression warped to what looked like recognition. Those amber orbs sparked with familiarity as she stared at the priestess. Maybe there was a hint of fright, but Yang was sure she was seeing things. Unintentionally, Cinder took a step back, which caused a clink noise from her heels to ring out, alerting everyone's attention.

"My Lady?" Emerald asked, concern in her tone. "Is something wrong?"

While her henchmen checked on her, Yang whipped her head from her partner to the demon woman. Obviously, there was something here she was missing. Weiss must've realized it first and her body reacted on instinct. Meanwhile, Cinder clutched the relic as if to make sure she still had it in her possession.

The two were engaged in a stare down, neither contestant willing.

"We retrieved our target, it's time to leave," Cinder stated, trying not to show her fear. "They're an idle threat."

Swiftly, Yang sprinted directly at the three. Her charge was so powerful that the foot she pushed off with left a dent in the stone ground.

"I'll show ya no threat! Give me the relic!"

As her shout reverberated, Yang cocked her fist back. She was about to clock Cinder directly in the torso, but a leg that felt like steel blocked the blow. Yang snarled and bared her teeth as she glanced up to find Mercury.

"Not today, blondie."

Before Yang could recover, Emerald used her sickles to forcefully knock her back. With a yelp, the blonde careened into a nearby boulder.

Yang's adrenaline spiked, so she was able to rip away from the stone rocks. However, before she could charge again, Emerald appeared before her with a wicked smile.

"You want to fight her that bad? Be my guest!"

While Emerald distracted the blonde, her comrades slipped into the darkness. Yang caught this as she glanced over her opponent's shoulder.

"Get back here!"

Again, Yang attempted to charge Cinder, but Emerald intercepted her with the sickles before she could even think about it.

"Dammit!" Yang growled. "Weiss! You gotta snap out of it! They're getting away!"

But Weiss' mind was far too gone to hear the plea.

She couldn't even breathe.

* * *

A daunting memory surged through her like an inferno.

It left her breathless. She was suffocating. The surrounding air vanished and was replaced by toxic smoke. She coughed and puffs of black spewed outward.

She had to get out of here. She had to find an exit. At this rate, the fire would swallow her hole. There was no safe spot. If there was, she couldn't find it. The flames roared all around her, threatening to devour her.

Ash burnt her skin and charred it dark. Her normally pale pallor was red from the sheer heat. The burns weren't nearly as painful as not being able to breathe. She had to escape.

Otherwise...

She had to get out of here, but there was no way she'd leave _her_ behind.

"Mama!"

She was nowhere to be found. Where was she?! She was always there when Weiss needed her! She would know what to do. She always knew what to do. She had to find her!

"Mom, please!"

Her little feet patterned across the steaming floorboards. Burning wood invaded her lungs along with more smoke. She'd been trapped inside her own home as she desperately searched for her mother.

However, her tiny body couldn't take it anymore. All this smoke was too much. It couldn't contain so much was suffocating and agonizing. Especially for a child to endure. Another cough ripped from her burning throat as she scratched at it, trying to feel other pain rather than the smoke tearing her from the inside out.

Unintentionally, Weiss fell on her side. That was the only energy her body had left to do. Shut down.

 _Mama…_

Like a miracle, the face of an angel appeared.

"Weiss, sweetie," a soothing voice eased. "Mama's here. It's going to be okay. You'll be okay."

Her child was half-dazed, so Willow picked her up as the flames surged around them. Quickly, she set her small daughter in a car seat and securely strapped her in. With determination, Willow braved the flames as she protectively clutched the car seat to her chest.

The nearest escape was at the end of the hall. It was embedded in the wall, transparent and made of glass.

"M-mama? Wh-what're you doing?"

"Taking care of you. Don't worry, my precious snowflake."

At last, her mother made it to the window, and she unlocked it before sliding it open. Some much-needed air swirled inside, which made breathing a little easier. Carefully, Willow set the car seat on top of the window and balanced it, allowing Weiss to get some much-needed fresh air.

That seemed to ease her child's breathing a bit. Weiss was no longer gasping or choking for measly oxygen.

Calmly, Willow reached under her collar and yanked out a thin silver chain. Attached was a locket engraved with silver wings. She wrapped her precious jewelry around her daughter's neck, but not tight enough to choke her.

"Keep this forever, understand? Protect it."

From the hectic events, Weiss was still trying to wrap her mind around what was happening. Things were happening so fast. Too fast for her mind to comprehend.

Her tiny fingers weakly curled around the locket.

"But this is yours."

"It's yours now, snowflake."

"Huh?"

Carefully, Willow clutched the car seat with stern hands as she gazed into her daughter's eyes. They mirrored- reflected- her own. Even though Willow had tiny rivulets cascade down her cheeks, she sent her confused daughter a kind smile. In a murmur, she whispered.

"I love you."

With that, Willow let go of the car seat.

For a moment, Weiss paused in midair as she was strapped in the seat. Before gravity could take effect, she witnessed her mother's pained expression. The angel was distraught, but somehow… she was still smiling at her daughter.

Behind her mother, the flames roared. Blended with the inferno was the face of evil. As Weiss fell backward, all she could do was examine what she came to know as the devil itself. The devil was a woman. A woman with short black hair and wicked amber eyes that filled with seething anger. Since most of her body was concealed by the flames and smoke, Weiss couldn't tell what she was wearing. She only caught the barest hint of red that burned.

Since only her face was visible in the flames, Weiss memorized her features.

That devilish smirk...

It was haunting. It crept into her very soul.

Why couldn't she even breathe?

She was enveloped by fresh air. Despite that, she cried. She cried and couldn't stop as the seat plummeted toward the Earth.

Her cries were heard.

A white light veiled around her form. The light was pure. Untainted. The glistening shroud enveloped the world around her as she fell. There was a scream that ensued that came from above. The shriek lingered out the window. It didn't sound like her mother's voice.

Weiss had suppressed the memory until now.

She thought that she was seeing things back then. That her mind made up false memories to cope.

But now she was certain.

Cinder killed her mother.

* * *

"Weiss!"

At last, her partner's pleas snapped her out of her stupor. After the memory crashed over her like a tidal wave, Weiss was no longer too afraid to move. Pale hands balled into fists as she grit her teeth. Now, she was shaking. Not because she was scared.

She was angry.

" **Cinder!** "

The hiss was so menacing that Yang and Emerald stopped fighting to gaze at the livid priestess. Yang had _never_ seen her this mad. Her partner was always stoic, so whatever she remembered must've rattled her soul.

For the first time, Yang was intimidated by her partner.

The shout had its intended impact. Cinder and Mercury halted in their tracks.

When Weiss met the demon's gaze, she lifted her left hand. Her palm and the bangle bracelet began to glow a blazing white. The flash was so bright that it caused everyone around them to go blind. Even Yang had to shield her eyes.

From the white light, Cinder shrieked like a monster and collapsed to her knees. The screech confirmed Weiss' thoughts. That was the same shriek from that day. The demon clutched her heart and breathed heavily as her minions tended to her.

The spark only lasted a few seconds, but it lit the entire abyss. Even some hidden creatures of grimm perished. The light faded and morphed into the darkness soon after. Using her purification power left Weiss breathless as she bent over in an attempt to get a measly ounce of oxygen.

When Cinder recovered, she hurled a black orb directly at the heaving priestess. Retaliating so quickly was unexpected, so Weiss took the hit. The black orb sank into her chest as her bracelet flashed black and white. It was like she absorbed the darkness.

At the very least, Weiss was expecting pain from the evil. Nothing hurt even though she was struck so suddenly in the chest. She felt the same, just out of breath.

Yang rushed over to her. "Are you okay? What was that?!"

"I-I don't know," Weiss clutched her heart like she was uncertain. "It... doesn't hurt."

"Oh thank god. That's good," Yang breathed a sigh of relief.

After Yang set a reassuring hand on the small of her back, she noticed that the enemy was gone. All three of them escaped without so much as a peep. The three disappeared into the shadows and vanished without a trace.

"Get back here you bastards!"

Yang yelled like she could see them, but it was no use. The enemies were gone. To make matters worse, they took their hard-earned relic. She was about to growl from frustration, but concern took precedence when she felt the girl sag. Together, they fell to their knees.

Weiss was still panting and trying desperately to catch her breath.

"Easy, eeeasy," Yang soothed and rubbed her back. "Breathe. You used a ton of aura."

"I just... need… a moment…"

"Take all the time you need."

Several seconds past as a million questions swarmed Yang's mind. What caused Weiss to lose her temper like that? It had to be important enough to lose her signature stoicness. And it more than likely had something to do with the demon. Yang wanted desperately to ask, but Weiss was in no state to answer.

There was a withered sigh as her form fell.

"H-hey!" Yang easily caught her in her arms. "Weiss?!"

No reply.

Yang checked her pulse by placing a finger to her neck. Good, she was alive. Her heartbeat was frantic, but showed signs of slowing down.

"Okay, oookay," Yang murmured as she adjusted the girl in her arms. "You need a little more than a moment."

Honestly, Yang couldn't blame her. The day's events had taken a toll on her, and Yang was starting to feel the effects as well. The partners had exerted lots of aura before they even landed in this abyss. The fall put a good dent in their auras and the fight with the death stalker didn't help, either.

The girls didn't have any time to recover. Yang pondered what to do now that Weiss was a heap in her arms. Yang was frustrated that the relic was taken, but was far more concerned for her partner and wanted to help her rather than pursue the enemy. They were probably long gone by now, anyway.

Resting didn't sound so bad. It was already dark down here. Sure, the surface wasn't comfortable, but she could sleep like a rock right now. Even if this chasm is filled with the unknown, Yang was sure if anything was down here, they would've been attacked already since they were vulnerable. Plus, the earlier light would've killed any nearby threats.

Now that Yang's adrenaline was nonexistent, she felt her body slowly shut down and Weiss became heavy. With a plan, Yang gently set the girl on the ground and stood. She gazed down at her resting partner and whispered.

"Stay."

She wasn't going anywhere, but saying it made her feel better.

It took a while, but eventually the blonde shoved several rocks around Weiss' form to act as a barrier. This way, at least they had some protection down in this abyss. By the end of gathering all the rocks and laying them out, Yang was more than exhausted.

They had to get out of here eventually, but right now, Yang was too tired to care. She could worry about that later.

By now, Weiss had curled in on herself, seeking any semblance of warmth in her sleep. Yang knew her to be small by nature, but this was borderline criminal. Willing to give her what she needed, Yang curled up with Weiss. She was an icicle. Yang sighed in relief. Her partner was like an ice pack for her aching body.

Yang wrapped her strong arms around the smaller girl's torso. Instinctively, Weiss curled into the human incarnate and nuzzled into her neck.

 _I had no idea she was such a cuddle bug._

Slowly, Yang positioned their legs so that they were interlocked to insulate more heat. With a grin, Yang rested her chin atop her head. Weiss rested on her shoulder as her faint breaths ghosted Yang's neck.

The sensation caused Yang to blush, and she couldn't stop smiling as the girl in her arms snuggled into her. They were like the perfect puzzle pieces. Yang almost kissed her forehead, but then remembered she wasn't cuddling with Ruby.

This was Weiss.

Even though they were exhausted, dirty, cold, just had their relic stolen, and trapped in the abyss...

This couldn't be more perfect.

* * *

 **Get a room! Or a cave that works too. Getting out of that place sounds exhausting. So rest up you two~ and cuddle while you're at it~ true love is cuddling at the bottom of a pitch-black pit. Cinder you crazy bitch how dare you.**

 **The lyrics are from Here by Amalee. "'Why can't I even breathe' standing in the wreckage?"**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	24. Sorry We Kept You In the Dark

It was an odd feeling as the world slowly nudged her awake. One by one, her senses came into play.

The abyss was no longer tugging on her conscious. For a while, Yang swam in it, feeling oddly calm. Despite the darkness, Yang wasn't afraid. Maybe that was because of the light she held onto. The light that snuggled into her arms.

Eventually, Yang's finger twitched and curled around a petite waist. She stirred with a groan and instinctively pulled the light closer. It was so warm. From laying on the hard ground for so long, her side was fine and didn't ache. This surprised her, but she wasn't going to complain.

It was dark, but as Yang gazed down, she had a smile. Weiss was sleeping soundly in her arms. The faint rise and fall of her chest was soothing and assured Yang that she was okay. Just resting. Groggily, Yang pulled her closer and tucked her protectively into her chest. Due to the close contact, Yang's heart beat rapidly, and she felt a blush form.

She wondered if Weiss minded this, but as she curled in closer, Yang figured she wouldn't mind. Whether she liked it or not, Weiss Schnee was the biggest cuddle bug Yang had ever encountered. Instead of worrying about her reaction when she woke, Yang savored the moment with the widest grin.

If Yang wanted to leave, which she never would, there was no way she could. The priestess had a firm grip around her. Weiss was just as attached to her as Yang was. Due to the close contact, Weiss wasn't cold anymore. She absorbed Yang's natural heat like a sponge.

As Yang brushed through the white tresses, her stomach and heart fluttered.

However, she also found herself thinking about what happened earlier. The damn half-demon stole their hard-earned relic. It'd been such a long day that Weiss' body shut down and Yang had no energy to haul the both of them out of here, so she joined her on the ground for some shut-eye.

How long had it been? It felt like a few hours at the very least. Maybe it was already Sunday? In that case, they had to get going. Yang had a promise to keep to the sleeping priestess. They had to make it back before school on Monday.

Missing academics due to their mission would only stress them out more. Sometimes, Yang wondered how Weiss did it. How she managed to stay a model student while also kicking grimm butt was beyond her.

Since Yang knew Weiss placed academics above all else, she reluctantly sat up and coaxed Weiss with her. It was time to get out of here. The cuddle session was nice, _really_ nice and probably the best thing that's ever happened to Yang, but being down here for a second longer would drive anyone insane.

They had other things to do before even going home, too. Like report to their guardians that the mission failed. That the demon stole their relic. She couldn't wait. Yang rolled her eyes in annoyance as she shifted. However, she couldn't move much when Weiss clung tightly to her.

"As much as I'd love to cuddle you aaaall day, we gotta get going."

Her soft voice caused Weiss to stir. Her brows drew together, and she flinched twice before revealing those azure pools. Lilac bore down on her as the blonde sent her a timid smile.

"Y-Yang?"

Yang gently brushed the white bangs from her face. "Mornin' sunshine."

Dazed, Weiss glanced around and her memory was jogged. Darkness was all around them. They were still down here? It was then that she realized she was in Yang's arms. In fact, she was snuggled up with her. In a fluster, Weiss pulled away, instantly missing the warmth.

"Woa-ho!" Yang chirped. "Settle down, there's nothing to be worried about."

"W-why was I-?"

"In my arms?" Yang answered with the wiggle of her brow. "You know, you're such a cuddle bug."

The red on the priestess' cheeks brightened up. "Am not!" she replied without thought. "What happened while I was out?"

"I kept you warm," Yang retorted. "You couldn't stay away from me. Just admit it, you liked cuddling with yours truly. For once, it wasn't in my dreams. I knew you couldn't resist me."

"You are so full of it," the priestess said softly, unsure of her words.

"Am I?" Yang asked knowingly. "Cuz you were smiling the whooooole time we cuddled."

"I wasn't even awake," Weiss poorly defended as she crossed her arms.

Mockingly, Yang crossed her arms with a smirk. "You didn't have to be."

It was so satisfying to watch normally pale cheeks shift red. Shyly, Weiss looked away. Probably to hide her features. Which wasn't hard to do in the surrounding darkness.

"Whatever," Weiss huffed. "How long have we been down here?"

"Uh… honestly, I'm not sure. Long enough."

"Agreed," Weiss stated. "What do you say we get out of here?"

Yang was still worried. Weiss was wiped out what felt like a few minutes ago. Yang wanted to make sure they were both good to go.

"You're good now, right?" Yang asked. "Did the cat nap help?"

"I'm well-rested enough," the priestess replied and stretched a bit. "I could sleep longer, but we need to leave."

"Our cuddle sesh rejuvenated my soul."

Weiss gave her a look. "You're exaggerating."

Yang tilted her head. "What if I'm not?"

Not willing to entertain her antics any longer, Weiss playfully rolled her eyes. "As I was saying, we have to get out of here."

"Couldn't agree more," Yang replied happily.

Together, the two stood. They were expecting to ache from the hard surface or be a bit wobbly, but there was no incident.

After Yang dusted herself off, she glanced around. There was a stretch of silence.

"How do we get outta here?"

"No idea-"

A distant scream. A high-pitched, familiar one.

"Did you hear that?" Yang asked, urgency in her tone.

The last time she heard something else down here, there was a pack of beowolves that mysteriously vanished. Yang thought she might've been hearing things again, so she depended on her partner's answer.

Silence past, and there was another screech.

"Was that... Ruby?" Weiss asked.

"Sure sounds like it!"

Another scream.

The shrill was unmistakable. That was Ruby. Wasting no time, Yang flicked on the flashlight and the two darted toward the voice.

"What's she doing down here?!" Weiss yelped.

"She's in so much trouble when I find her!" Yang exclaimed.

The only way the two could see was from the small flashlight beam. Despite the small guide, the partners sprinted. Somehow, they managed to dodge the few jagged stones that were begging to trip them.

The closer they got, the louder the shrieks. It was more of a panicky yelp rather than one of pain, so that eased their nerves a bit. But they were still immensely worried as they bolted closer to the voice.

As they neared, they realized that there were two voices. The other was much fainter, but conveyed further distress. Unable to contain herself, Yang ignited into flames to get the clear scene. That little flashlight didn't cut it anymore.

It was true that Yang's aura wasn't fully replenished, but thanks to the earlier nap, she was raring to go. By her side was Weiss, who smiled at the flames. Whenever Yang was a fireball, she knew everything would be alright.

Just a few feet ahead of them were five smaller grimm. They were lizard-like and only had hind limbs. The skulls were stubby, and they used their tails to keep their balance. Each of them clinked like zombies in horror movies.

The five surrounded two forms. In the center of it all was Ruby and Blake. The pair were back-to-back in defensive positions. Despite not being able to see the grimm, Ruby managed to land a lucky punch. This caused a creature to tumble backward with a shriek.

"I hit something!" Ruby cheered.

"Good job," Blake praised, still focused on the area around them.

She used her cat ears to try to pinpoint the location of these invisible monsters, but she proceeded to get slammed by a hardened tail in the stomach. She gasped as she hardly landed on her side.

"Blake!" Ruby called worriedly.

Since Ruby and Blake couldn't see the grimm, most of the time they ended up punching air. All they could do was guess where to hit and hope they landed a blow. Unfortunately, they had no idea how many monsters there were or located, so they took a few hits.

They were so absorbed in the fight that they didn't notice Yang and Weiss gawking at the scene.

Ruby wildly punched the air around Blake. Little did she know, the small grimm backed away and retaliated with the stern tail. Ruby was slapped in her back and careened into Blake, which knocked them both to the ground with strained yelps.

Yang and Weiss had to admit, this was entertaining. Although dangerous.

Unable to witness the sorry sight anymore, Yang pounded her fists together. There was a whip of hot air around her as she launched at the smaller grimm. Before Weiss could even help, the five monsters were annihilated. All Ruby and Blake could do was watch their blazing savior.

When the last grimm withered away, Yang turned around and popped her knuckles. She looked down at her friends, who were still sitting on the ground with their jaws dropped from the alluring flames.

"You're lucky those were just creeps!" Yang scolded, giving her sisters a disapproving look.

"C-creeps?" Ruby weakly stammered.

Ignoring her sister's question, Yang raged with anger. "What the _hell_ are you guys doin' here?! Do you have any idea how dangerous it is!?"

Weiss set a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Yang, calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down!" Yang shouted, which caused her to flinch. "Why. Are. You. Here? It's like everyone knows about this place!"

Ruby laughed dryly. "It's a party, huh?"

Weiss gave her a deadpanned look. "Not helping."

After Ruby and Blake gulped from the intimidating inferno that was Yang Xiao Long, they stood to feel less threatened. From their frightened expressions, Yang took a deep breath. Shouting wouldn't solve anything. Her partner was right. Reluctantly, Yang eased into Weiss' cool, calm aura as it trickled through her bloodstream.

Now that the small outburst was out of her system, Yang composed herself. "Are you guys okay?"

That was all that mattered. If her precious friends were okay. The two did get hit in the couple seconds that they watched the fight. Who knows how many other times they took some blows.

"We're fine," Blake answered for them. "Just dirty. Are you okay? You look like you were beat up."

"Heh," Yang scoffed as she wiped some dirt off her shoulder. "This is nothin.'"

Ruby chimed in. "So you did beat someone up?! I knew it! Blake, I told you!"

"What is the dolt talking about?" Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose in disbelief. "What are you doing here?"

Blake took a deep breath. It was time to come clean. That her and Ruby had been suspicious and following them since yesterday. She decided to start explaining from the heart. "We were worried about you two."

Yang and Weiss shared glances with each other.

Ruby nodded. "You guys have been acting weird lately. More than usual, so we followed you."

"What?!" Yang and Weiss shouted in unison.

"You-you followed us all this way?" Yang asked in exasperation and received nods.

Weiss held a hand to her head like she was getting a headache. "Unbelievable. How on Earth did we miss you the whole time?"

Blake sent her a knowing smirk. "You guys were pretty distracted with one another. Entertained each other. Are you a couple?"

This caused heat to rush to their cheeks. For once, the duo was stunned into silence.

"Oh my gosh you are, aren't you?!" Ruby yelped. "What the heck why didn't you tell us we could've had some party with a bunch of cookies and maybe another food fight that was a fun time by the way-"

Before she could keep rambling, Yang set a hand over her mouth.

"We're not a couple, Rubes."

When the blonde said that, Weiss felt her heart sink. She had no idea why, but those words carried a lot of weight. Before Ruby could lick her palm, Yang pulled away and gazed at Weiss with a grin.

"Although I wouldn't be opposed~"

Weiss weakly scowled. "In your dreams."

"Just like the cuddle sesh, huh?" Yang teased. "It's only a matter of time."

"Quiet you."

Ruby and Blake glanced at each other. So they were one of _those_ duos. Both in love with the other but horribly unaware that the feeling was mutual on each end. Great. What a great, yet frustrating thing to watch.

"Like I said, we were worried," Ruby continued. "Dad gave us permission to follow you."

"Tai knows?!" Weiss yelped, which earned nods. "This keeps getting better."

"How much did you see?" Yang questioned.

"Everything," Ruby stated sternly. "We did lose you when you fell in that giant hole, though."

A shudder ran down Blake's spine as she recalled the memory. "We didn't know if you survived the fall. We saw you fight whatever those were, grimm, as you call it? So we figured you were okay."

Weiss was in deep thought, still in disbelief. "It was a harsh fall. I can't believe you followed us the entire way."

That meant they had to travel all night. They had to be just as exhausted as they were.

"Sneaky…" Yang mumbled. "How'd you make it down here safely?"

Blake perked an amused brow. "Very carefully."

There was a suffocating moment of silence. Ruby was the one to break it. She had to know. She needed answers as to what her friends were up to. "Are you guys gonna tell us what's going on or not?"

"No," Yang stated sternly. "It's too dangerous."

From that, Blake and Ruby dipped their heads in frustration. They followed their friends in a god-forsaken abyss and Yang _still_ wouldn't tell them about her other-worldly duties.

"Yang…" Ruby weakly called. "We want to help you…"

Noticing their reactions, Weiss gave Yang a concerned gaze.

"There's no point in hiding it anymore, Yang," Weiss whispered. "They know too much. They've seen too much."

Blake's amber eyes darted around. "I feel like we've been set up to be murdered."

Yang ignored her friend's comment and looked down at Weiss. "It's too dangerous for them. They could get hurt."

"It's a little too late for that," the priestess mentioned. "I think we're past that point. They've done nothing but worry about us. They followed us for an entire day. Not to mention, they're here right now in this underground trap. The fact that they made it down here without dying speaks volumes of how strong they are even without the help of aura."

"Aura?" Ruby asked, giving a confused look.

Yang gazed at her worried little sister. No matter how much she hated it, Weiss had a solid point. It was then that Yang recalled a conversation she had with Blake. She had to stop treating Ruby like a child, otherwise, she'd unintentionally push her away.

The New World was dangerous, yet they couldn't be deeper in it. Literally.

"I-I guess you're right," Yang conceded and set a hand on Ruby's head. "Sorry for treating you like a child, Rubes. I know you've always been stronger than you look. Same goes for you, Blakey."

Multiple smiles.

"It's okay, Yang," Ruby said softly. "You're my older sister. It's only natural that you'd be protective of me. Even smothering sometimes."

Giddily, Yang opened her arms wide. Ruby was more than happy to hold her in an embrace. It wasn't the usual crushing hug Ruby was used to. This one was gentle, yet firm. Trust and affection for another overflowed as the sisters hugged.

Blake and Weiss grinned at the display. That was a much-needed conversation that needed to be acknowledged. The sisters separated and Yang playfully ruffled Ruby's hair, which elicited a squeal.

"They're more than capable of handling themselves," Weiss said sternly. "Even without being able to see the grimm, they put up a decent fight. Imagine what they could do if they could see them."

"We get to see these grimm thingys?" Ruby beamed. "When? How? Does that mean we can help you out oh my gosh that would be really nice we didn't like watching you guys on the sidelines we were starting to feel helpless and left out but mostly suspicious we're glad this worked out."

All Weiss could do was set a hand on Ruby's shoulder to stop the rant. "Settle down, dolt."

"Eheh, right sorry."

After Yang sent her friends a mischievous smirk, she intentionally killed her flames and let silence pass. Weiss let out a shaky sigh, knowing what was to come.

"Sorry we…" Yang paused for dramatic effect. _"Kept you in the dark._ "

Multiple groans.

Blake sent Weiss a look. "Please tell me you didn't put up with that this whole time."

"This is my life now," Weiss droned.

"You guys suck," Yang chirped. "Dad would've loved that one."

Ruby grinned as she gazed at her sister. "I'm pretty sure he only encourages you so you don't feel left out."

Yang sighed. "You guys really do suck."

"Lame puns aside," Weiss began. "We need to focus on getting out of here."

"How'd you two get down?" Yang asked.

"Ruby's idea," Blake revealed.

With that, Yang handed her sister the flashlight.

Ruby took charge and led the way.

"Onward!"

* * *

 **Ooooooh Ruby and Blake know more!**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	25. This World Is Left In Pieces

At last, it was Sunday afternoon. The four girls traveled by foot to get home. It was a long walk back. Especially since Yang and Weiss spent their breath teaching Ruby and Blake about this world with grimm.

Naturally, when they arrived in the abode they were starving. The girls ran out of snacks and water a long time ago, which left them even more drained.

The moment the four walked inside, the yellow and blue bags dropped on the floor unceremoniously. They were about to take a seat at the kitchen table, but noticed sustenance was left on the marble island.

Like the doting father he is, Taiyang left a plate of multiple fried bologna sandwiches on the counter and a note.

"Dad's the best!" Ruby chirped as she grabbed a delectable sandwich.

It was still warm, which caused her mouth to drool. Taiyang must've left just a few minutes ago.

After Weiss nibbled on the crust, she whispered. "Thank you, Tai."

Curious, Yang picked up the note that was next to the food.

Blake's cat ear flickered from the paper crinkling. "What does it say?"

As her friends chewed, Yang read the note out loud.

"Girls, if you get back before I'm home, chow down. I'm walking Zwei, so I'll be home eventually. You know how he likes to stop and piss on every tree he sees. Anyway, if you're not back when I come home, then I wrote this note for nothing. Thanks for making me waste paper. Can't wait to hear about your journey and what the dragon was hiding. Love, Dad."

When the blonde was finished reading it, her three friends were already seated at the table. Frustrated, Yang set the note on the counter and grabbed her own warm sandwich.

"Ugh," Yang groaned. "You guys are so annoying! Dad can't know what happened."

As her friends munched on the food, she joined them. Four plates scoured the wooden table along with four glasses of iced water that were already half-empty. They were starting to feel better from the arduous journey already.

Ruby chirped. "We'll think of something."

Blake sent her a knowing smirk. "We'll have to."

Weiss leaned into the table to stare at Blake. "Make sure it's a believable story this time. Yang can't formulate those on her own, as I've come to realize."

That caused Ruby and Blake to chuckle.

"I thought it was pretty good!" Yang poorly defended.

Blake whipped her hair for dramatic effect and mimicked Yang's voice.

"So Dad, Blakey, Rubes, I ran into my friend in the forest, who was crying. I helped her out, spent the night at her place, came home clearly pained and passed out before I could make it to my bed! But I was totally fine there was nothin' to worry about!"

That earned even more snickers.

"If you put it like that…" Yang dipped her head in defeat.

Weiss gazed at Blake and Ruby. "Make sure it's believable. Tai is smart."

"You betcha," Ruby gave her a thumbs up and nibbled on her food. "When do we get to go to the temple? I want to unlock my aura."

From the comment, Yang was still hesitant from allowing her sister to join.

On the way back, Yang and Weiss took the liberty of filling their friends in on things. They started explaining how grimm were monsters that needed to be eradicated like pests. How mini grimm used to overrun the school, and that's why Weiss acted strangely at the time. There were too many for her to even focus. They were a constant distraction.

Luckily, Yang was there to explain things to her. She introduced her to the New World to unlock her aura and cause little grimm to back off from her mere presence.

They also talked about large grimm. To defeat grimm, Yang would deal double damage payback by erupting into flames. Weiss handled herself with her rapier and purification abilities.

When Blake pointed out Weiss' bangle bracelet, the two informed them of the jewelry's purpose. That it guarded the precious relics safely inside the locket around her neck. Weiss showed them her silver locket that she never took off. All she said was that it was her mother's, had it since she could remember, and nothing more.

Of course, Ruby and Blake were curious to their main reasons of hunting the relic pieces. The main reason why Yang and Weiss were helping Ozpin and Glynda. Yang wanted to help Ozpin finally die since that was his wish. To do so, they had to collect the five relic pieces. Yang also touched a little on how the relic can transform faunus into humans, half-demons to full demons or humans, and vice versa, but didn't delve deeply. Blake was left to ponder the information, thinking there was more to the story than her friend let on.

Weiss' main reason was to help Yang since she was able to do so and more than willing. There was no way she was going to let her partner continue the search on her own. Someone by her side to watch her back would be safer. Finding answers to her questions was only a bonus.

Ruby and Blake asked why the relic was in pieces. Technically, this world was in pieces.

The background on the fight of Cinder against Ozpin was covered, so the enemy was made clear. Cinder, Emerald, and Mercury were working together. The students seemed to be her minions of sorts and the three managed to steal the previous shard they worked so hard to attain.

The number one thing Ruby and Blake took away from this overload of information was the first step to helping their friends. They had to go to the temple and allow the headmaster to unlock their inner potential- aura. That way, they can fight and be able to see grimm.

After Weiss swallowed a bite, she asked Ruby. "How are you not exhausted? We just got back."

"I'm really excited," Ruby said enthusiastically. "We finally get to help out, so I'd like that to be possible as soon as possible!"

Weiss looked at Blake and Yang. "Is she always this hyper?"

"She'll crash eventually," the faunus informed with a smirk.

Yang sipped her water. "Rubes, eat first. You're gonna need it. The ritual takes a lot out of you."

Weiss sighed from the memory. "You will be exhausted, that's guaranteed," she gazed at Ruby. "Even you won't have energy afterwards. It wouldn't surprise me if you two miss school tomorrow as a result of the ritual."

"Really?" Ruby asked, interest peaked. "Unlocking aura takes that much out of you?"

Yang and Weiss nodded, both having gone through the ritual themselves.

Jokingly, Blake raised a hand like she was in school. "I still have some questions."

Yang pointed at the faunus like she was a teacher. "Yes, Blake? What valuable, important question do you have for the class?

"Can you catch on fire on command?"

From that, Yang and Weiss erupted into giggles.

"What?" Blake asked, genuinely confused. "Did I miss something?"

Yang pointed to her partner. "That's _exactly_ what the princess asked!"

"It's a legitimate question!" the faunus exclaimed with a blush from embarrassment.

Yang fake wiped a tear and fanned herself. "Everyone's curious about my hotness."

Blake gave her a deadpanned look as her ears leaned back. "That doesn't answer my question."

With a smirk, Yang emitted a controlled blaze. Her arms were crossed like the position helped her restrain the calm fire. Her blonde mane matched the sun's brilliance as she leaned back in her chair with the broadest grin.

Ruby gawked at her sister. "Wow! I always knew you were a furnace! Just not a literal one!"

Curiously, Blake hovered her hand closely to the blonde. The arm around her was warm. Not hot like she expected. The flames were roaring calmly as Yang's hair floated like it was flowing in a breeze. "How're the things around you not melting or burning?"

"It takes a lot of aura control," the blonde informed. "I can if I want to, but Dad wouldn't be too happy if he came home to a pile of ash."

Blake shrugged. "Understandable."

Now that Yang had their attention, she killed the flames and let out a sigh. It was relieving not having to control her aura. Especially when she didn't have to.

After Weiss swallowed some water, she set the glass down. "Any other questions?"

Blake glanced at the smiling blonde. Her cat ears leaned back in submission like she was hesitant to ask what was on her mind.

Yang didn't miss this. "What's up, Blakey?"

Blake's lips slightly parted, then closed. Like she was trying to find the right words before speaking. "The relic's powers… You said it can turn faunus into humans? Half-demons into demons or humans?"

"And vice versa," Yang added. "Basically everything in between."

"And that's why Cinder wants all five? To become a full demon?"

"Yep."

"Yang."

That was a stern call as Blake leaned in. Yang was directly across from her. This caught the blonde's attention as amber bore into lilac.

"You're not doing this just for the headmaster... are you?" Blake deadpanned.

"W-uh…"

Weiss had to hand it to Blake. She was more perceptive than she realized.

The priestess smirked. "You're keen as ever."

"I know," Blake set her hands under her chin.

Determined amber met azure in understanding. Eager, Blake faced Yang again, waiting for a reaction.

"You mainly did it for me, right?" the faunus asked.

Blake was no longer oblivious. Based on the relic's powers, she'd have the option to turn human. Of course, Blake never forgot that night over a decade ago. Neither did Yang and Ruby. The night Blake lost both of her parents to discrimination. Blake sobbed for hours and even lost her voice for a few days. For several weeks, she wasn't herself. Nothing tasted right. The world was black and white.

All Ruby and Yang could do was offer any comfort they could. This included Taiyang. Blake had been friends with Taiyang's kids since they were children, so he adopted Blake soon after the tragedy. He didn't even need to think about the decision and welcomed her with open arms.

Eventually, Blake recovered. Time mends wounds, but doesn't always heal them. Ruby and Yang understood that all too well, having been affected by their own tragedy's as well.

Fondly, Blake placed her hand over Yang's own.

"You didn't have to do this for me."

Despite the words, she was soft. Pure concern swirled in those pools of gold. It was clear she was worried about the troubles Yang was put through due to her own concern for her.

Blue eyes were glued to the display. Blake and Yang's hands were interlocked on top of the table. Weiss understood that they were having a moment, but for some reason, her heart sank. It felt like she was drowning as she listened to the conversation.

"I know," Yang curled her fingers around the hand. "I just wanted you to have the option. I'll never forget that night… seeing you like that," she choked out. "I told myself there had to be something I could do. Then I found it. I found the New World. I could finally do something for you."

"Yang," Blake said softly and glanced at her three friends at the table. "All of you have helped immensely. Whether you know it or not. You've been there for me through everything. All of you have. I'm touched that you want me to have an option, but honestly, you all helped me accept myself. If I had the choice, I'd stay just as I am. Because you taught me it's okay to be a faunus."

Even though Weiss felt like she was drowning moments ago, she felt immensely better. Like she was floating on water. This was just a heartfelt conversation between friends, sisters. Of course they'd be close and seek some sort of contact.

With a smile, Ruby placed a hand between those cat ears. "You're perfect the way you are."

"I-I wasn't trying to change you or anything," Yang clarified. "Ruby's right, you really are perfect the way you are! It's just- you never know, ya know?"

Blake nodded, wiping away a tear from her words. "It's the thought that counts."

"Exactly," Weiss chimed in. "Yang knew from the very beginning that you'd more than likely not chose to change, yet she continued to fight on the small chance."

Yang sent her partner a grin and gazed at the three. "Don't get me wrong, I was hunting relics for Blake, but it was also for you guys and everyone else so they don't have to. It's dangerous work. I'm still worried about you joining us."

Reassuringly, Weiss placed a hand on her shoulder, which caused Yang to pull away from the hand-holding contact. "It will be much safer now with their help. Safety is in numbers. Gathering the remaining relics might be simpler with them on our side."

Yang crossed her arms and leaned back with finality. "Final chance to back out."

"Are you kidding me?" Ruby grinned. "I'm ready to kick some grimm and Cinder butt!"

Weiss gave Yang a look. "She sounds exactly like you."

Blake let out a small chuckle. "We can't keep letting you two have all the fun. Plus, Goodwitch and headmaster perks? This is a once in a lifetime opportunity."

Light laughs.

"Alright," Yang said with a smile. "That settles it. I guess we should take you to the temple soon. Probably today. I already texted Oz and Glyn everything, so they won't be surprised to see the new arrivals."

"When can we go?" Ruby asked.

The plates on the table were empty and the cups of water were drained. Good, at least they'd have some energy going into the ritual. Only, it'll be sapped in mere seconds. Any fuel will do at this point. It's not like they could wait for tomorrow or a whole other week.

"Why not now?" Weiss asked. "Are you done eating?"

Two nods.

"Then," the priestess stood from her chair. "Let's go."

Ruby almost whined after her chair screeched on the floor. "Dad's gonna come back to see we ate everything and left."

"Ah," Blake groaned. "We have to think of some excuse for him."

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Ruby replied.

After pushing in their wooden chairs, the four headed to the front door. After they stepped outside, Weiss felt her phone buzz. Reluctantly, she pulled it out to read the text. Suddenly, her carefree expression switched like a light. Back to that mastered poker face.

Her friends gave her skeptical looks.

"Looks like I can't go," Weiss stated as she slid her phone in her pocket. "I need to go home. Good luck with the ritual. Sorry I can't witness it."

Ruby waved her off. "It's totally fine! I bet your family's worried. Go and unworry them."

The priestess said nothing and turned to leave-

"Wait," Yang called. "Lemme walk you home."

"Yang," Weiss replied with a deadpan expression. "You need to show them where the temple is. I'll text you when I get home, okay?"

"Are you sure?"

"Don't keep them waiting."

"Uh, fine," the blonde groaned.

The three watched the girl in white walk away. The sun was still high in the sky, so she'd make it back before twilight. That eased Yang's nerves as they watched her disappear into the forest.

Blake murmured under her breath. "You're such a couple…"

Yang looked at her, genuinely confused. "What was that?"

"Nothing!" Blake quickly replied.

"Oooookay," Yang said and turned on her heel. "Let's go! We still gotta long day ahead."

Giddily, Ruby bolted in front of her sister. Blake and Yang could've sworn a streak of red followed behind.

"Onward!"

* * *

 **The chapter title refers to the song Cross the Line by Amalee.**

"' **Within this world where everything is left in pieces.' There's one last wish that has been burnt inside my mind."**

 **This refers to their hidden world, which is literally in the five relic pieces.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	26. Welcome to the Team

In no time, Yang led Ruby and Blake to the temple.

On the way there, she jokingly informed them that every time she went on a 'jog,' she was actually here. It was true that she jogged to the sacred grounds and back home, but her main reason was to visit.

It was a shame Weiss had to go home. The girls wished she could've been there to watch Ruby and Blake unlock their auras. It was a fascinating ritual to witness. Being part of it was one thing, but simply watching had a mind of its own.

"This is so cool!" Ruby gawked. "You come here often, Yang?"

"A couple times a week," the blonde replied.

This was the outside of the temple and her sister was already beaming like an eager puppy. Which was understandable, it was a sight to behold. Blake simply absorbed the breathtaking atmosphere and let Ruby ask any questions.

The building stood proudly on a humble hill. The sacred temple adorned a roof that curved upward and was coated in layers of white stones. From the sunlight, the temple glowed and emitted its own aura.

Just before the three entered the temple, they were greeted by two aged stone lion statues. Each one was cracked in different places, but held that feeling of power. Neither were fragile and radiated dominance. The girls stood in front of the door, and Ruby knocked.

"No need for that, Rubes."

Ruby tilted her head in confusion like a confused puppy as she watched her sister press down on the left lion's head. Slowly, the statue sunk into the pedestal it rested on. This caused the giant double doors to slide apart.

Watching her sister and Blake's reactions sparked wonder. Yang had opened those doors a million times. She got used to the sight a long time ago, but now she felt rejuvenated. There was still a lot of wonder in this sacred temple.

Taking the lead, Yang sauntered in with confidence. Ruby and Blake followed, still in awe. After they stepped inside, the doors slipped shut behind them. They walked along the pathway of the red carpet in relative silence. For once, her little sister was stunned into silence. Ruby and Blake appreciated every piece of art they walked by.

Soon, they were greeted with a golden throne on top of a dozen wooden steps.

On the throne was Ozpin, who graciously sipped his coffee. Standing next to him was Glynda, who had her arms crossed almost defensively.

"Sup, Oz, Glyn," Yang greeted casually. "I brought the new recruits."

From Yang's nicknames for them, Blake's cat ears flicked. They must've been closer than she previously led on. The headmaster and professor didn't seemed bothered by the casualness in the slightest. To properly greet them, Ozpin stood and handed his mug to Glynda.

Goodwitch crossed her arms. "It's a shame the mission failed. At least now you'll have extra help."

"Yeah," Ruby chirped. "Hi professor Goodwitch. I almost didn't recognize you without your clipboard."

Glynda nodded in understanding. "Yes, Ms. Rose. I have a habit of taking notes on my students."

After Ozpin smiled at her, he asked. "Are you ladies sure you want to undergo the ritual?"

Ruby replied without hesitation. "Absolutely. Anything to help our friends."

Blake shrugged in agreement. "What she said."

"A forewarning," Ozpin began. "When your auras are unlocked, you will be able to see grimm plain as day. Your lives will undoubtedly be in danger. Are you sure you'd like to continue?"

Yang sighed. "Why does this sound like a video game?"

Ruby pumped her fist in the air. "Let's do this!"

Glynda gave them a firm nod. "Very well, students. Follow me."

It didn't take long for them to reach the ritual room. It hadn't been used since Weiss had her aura unlocked. Yang expected it to be deserted, but it was already set-up. The professors took it upon themselves to prepare beforehand.

The room looked exactly as it did last time.

"Woah…" Ruby murmured.

There was an enormous blue circle embedded in the wooden floor. All around, there were lit candles in intricate positions within some smaller circles. Candles coated the room. Due to the brown wooden walls and floor, there was an added a ghostly effect.

"This looks freaky weird," Ruby observed.

"It is a little cliché," Blake admitted, looking a little unimpressed.

Yang looked at the professors knowingly. "You guys really need to spice it up."

Glynda pushed up her glasses. "We told you, you have free rein, or have you forgotten?"

"Decorating a temple isn't my style," Yang said evenly. "All I care about is the scentsy."

"For the love of god, go get one," Glynda lost count of how many times Yang mentioned that damned scentsy and never did anything about it.

"As a matter of fact, I did!" Yang beamed and pointed to a corner.

All eyes landed on the tiny scentsy that was plugged in an outlet. The light was barely flickering and the glass was cracked in multiple areas. Clearly, it was barely functioning.

"That tiny thing isn't doing anything!" Goodwitch exclaimed.

"It really is. Ya smell that?" Yang deeply inhaled for emphasis. "It smells like cider mill in here! You know what it smelled like before? Wood!"

Blake glanced around. Multiple candles decorated the room, and now an added scentsy. "This is a huge fire hazard."

"That hardly matters," Ozpin dismissed.

With his cane, he led the arrivals to the center of the widest circle. Ruby and Blake stood there, unsure of what to do with themselves.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes sir!" Ruby beamed.

"What're we waiting for?" Blake smirked.

After a nod, Ozpin retreated to the opposite side of the room with Ms. Goodwitch and Yang. The three stood in a line, watching them like they were zoo animals.

"We'll be here the whole time," Yang soothed. "Try to relax, okay?"

Her words lifted the anxiety off their shoulders.

"Got it. Thanks, Yang," Blake smiled.

"Okay," Ruby replied.

To start the ritual, Ozpin tapped his cane twice in the center of a smaller circle that was next to his foot. This caused the candle lights to flicker for a moment.

Awestruck, Ruby gawked at the multiple red and purple orbs that sprouted from the large circle just in front of them. The crimson orbs gravitated toward the girl in the red hood, while the mysterious purple globes locked onto Blake and danced around their forms.

It reminded Yang of any club's flashing lights. It was almost like a party, minus the music. It also made Yang recall Weiss' process. White beams surrounded her rather than orbs. The memory caused Yang to smile; everyone's aura was different and unique and depended on the person's individuality.

Red and purple definitely screamed Ruby and Blake.

The mesmerizing spheres drifted around her friends and steadily increased in speed. It was like a captivating whirlpool of grapes and strawberries. Her friends were too mesmerized to speak. Even if they did talk, Yang wouldn't be able to hear them over the rushing of wind.

Suddenly, the red and purple orbs halted and floated in place around them. Now it was so quiet that their breathing was heard. Without time to think, the purple and red orbs enshrouded their forms, causing them to glow brilliantly.

Ruby held out her hands and goggled the sight. Blake was the same.

Red and purple engulfed the small room before the spheres sucked into their chests and vanished.

Knowing what was to come, Yang darted forward and caught her sisters before they could collapse on the floor. Each arm wrapped protectively around their waists as Yang coaxed them to the floor.

Yep, they were both out cold. At least they were resting peacefully.

Ms. Goodwitch retrieved Blake and carefully lifted her bridal style. Yang almost said something, but remembered this was just Glyn. She wouldn't hurt Blake. Maybe Yang was just being overprotective. Letting it go, Yang stood with her sister in her arms. She smiled, remembering that the last time she held her this way was when they were kids.

"Follow me to the guest room," Glynda said softly as she opened the door. "They need to rest."

"Thanks, Glyn."

Goodwitch responded with a kind smile as the two headed out the door. Ozpin stayed behind and tended to the room.

The guest room had two single beds that were side-by-side. Carefully, Goodwitch set Blake on the soft mattress and removed her shoes before pulling up the warm blankets. Fondly, Yang did the same for her little sister. After Ruby was tucked in, Yang grabbed a chair to sit in between the exhausted pair.

After Goodwitch propped open the door, she called over her shoulder. "Text me if you need anything."

Yang broadly smiled. "Aw, I can't Snap you?"

"No," Glynda firmly replied. "I don't need another picture of you eating food."

"There's not even food in here."

"You'd find a way."

Yang leaned back in her chair in understanding. She probably could. Ruby more than likely had some cookies on her somewhere. Probably in her stupid lady pockets as she calls them. That was besides the point. After Yang lightly chuckled, Glynda took her leave and let the door shut.

Now alone, Yang fondly gazed at Blake and then her sister.

 _Welcome to the team._

* * *

 _Please tell me he didn't find out._

Her heartbeat accelerated with every step. Her heels clinked on the spotless marble floor. With feigned confidence, Weiss sauntered in the halls with her hands poised behind her back.

The text she received earlier caused her heart to drop. Nearly made her forget the wonderful things that transpired the last few days. Like her happiness was shattered in a second.

She had to leave her friends instantly so they wouldn't notice her distress. Not long after she arrived home, she wiped the beads of sweat from her face, changed into her uniform, and headed to her father's office. Her legs felt like lead as she walked.

The text was from Klein, who informed her that her father needed to speak with her.

That was never good.

The only time Jacques gave her the time of day was to scold her.

Weiss internally sighed, having already masked her emotions to prepare to face her father. This was inevitable. The man hadn't chided or spoken to her in awhile. It'd been a few weeks. Every day that passed, Weiss counted her lucky stars, but her luck ran out. It was going to eventually, and now it was time to face the music.

She wondered what she did this time. Or rather, didn't do. It was a hit and miss with him. It was possible her father was aware of her recent sneaking out. Then again, Klein told her that he had no clue about last time. Maybe he found out this time. The wonder only caused her anxiety to increase tenfold.

Before Weiss realized, she stood in front of the dreaded office door. Hesitantly, she reached for the knob, but stopped herself before she could touch it. Her hand was shaking, so she took a moment to compose herself.

She had to get this over with, so she took a deep breath and walked in.

There Jacques was, standing behind his desk. His hands were firmly on his desk as he leaned in with an icy glare. Weiss hoped he wouldn't move away from the desk. It acted as a barrier. Provided a measly speck of comfort.

Weiss stood in front of the door, not advancing until she was given the go ahead.

That cold glare shot down her spine. Weiss almost glanced away, but didn't want to show weakness, so she met his intense stare. This was no office. This was a battlefield of loss.

"No greeting?"

Weiss made a valiant attempt to slow her heart rate and forced the words out. "Hello, Father."

"How ungrateful," Jacques scoffed. "What are you waiting for?"

That was her cue to approach. With feigned confidence, Weiss sauntered over as her heels clinked with every step.

"Do you know why you're here?"

A trap question.

There were various answers to this. A million possibilities swarmed her mind, each answer about to break out of her lips. Instead of answering, she took a moment to think of what would satisfy him.

None.

What frightened Weiss was that she had no idea what he knew exactly. She'd snuck out only twice and was never called down. She'd been involved with the New World for a longer period of time and used it as an escape. This whole time, she avoided thinking about the consequences if she were to be discovered...

Silence loomed over them, which made Jacques frown.

"You speak when you're spoken to."

"I'm sorry, Father."

"Where have you been?" Jacques changed the question and used a demanding tone like an interrogator.

Thankfully for Weiss, she noticed when his face slightly cracked. It was the slightest twitch of his nose that gave him away. He knew she'd been sneaking off, but had no idea about what she's been doing.

Her muscles tensed and her throat tightened. Despite this, Weiss met his gaze with her own cold glare. She'd unknowingly dipped her head until she adjusted her posture.

"Studying with friends, Father."

He raised his hand and a resounding slap sound rang out. This was followed by a gasp and a red mark on her cheek.

"Folly! Don't lie to me!"

It was true that her cheek felt like it'd just been burned, but the scar over her left eye began to throb from his malicious touch.

The desk did nothing to protect her. She was on her own. Just as she always was. This was a losing battle, but Weiss kept her poker face and refused to acknowledge the slap. That would give him satisfaction. No, she wouldn't show weakness. Especially in front of him.

It'd been awhile since he slapped her. For a moment, Weiss almost saw red swirl in that icy blue. For a split-second, she dared glance behind him. There was a mountain of papers on every counter. His computer had multiple tabs. Work must've piled up these last few days. Couple that with discovering his daughter had been sneaking out, Jacques was furious.

She was officially trapped. There was nothing she could do besides hope he wouldn't get more physical with her.

"I-I'm sorry," the priestess couldn't bite back the stammer.

 _Imbecile,_ Weiss chided herself. _Don't apologize. That's admitting you lied._

However, Weiss was simply too afraid to not say anything. That would've earned another shout for

sure. Apologizing was an instinct. Now she was on high alert and become more aware of her breathing. Weiss forced herself to take steady breaths as Jacques towered over her.

As his stone-cold eyes landed on her bracelet, despair overflowed. Her heart thundered against her rib cage, almost ripping out of her chest. She felt as though she fell into that abyss again, but this time, she was completely alone as the world closed in on her.

"What is that abomination?"

Weiss clutched the silver bangle and pulled it away to get it away from her father's predatory glare. It was a feeble attempt to protect it, but it was the only thing she could do.

His gaze never tore away from the bracelet; he was still waiting for a response. Weiss didn't even swallow for fear of trembling and choking, and her mouth was too dry.

"My friend gave it to me," she used a voice that strove for steadiness, but it came out feeble.

"Stop lying!"

That was it. That's what made him snap as if he hadn't already. Jacques prowled around the desk and Weiss took a defiant step back. Forcefully, he yanked on her wrist, which elicited a yelp.

"Don't touch me!"

The iron grip was so harsh it felt like her wrist would break. All Weiss could do was try to squirm out of his grasp, but his fingers harshly dug into her skin and wrapped around the jewelry. His touch made her jolt violently- her body instinctively reacting to his touch.

"Not until you-" Jacques paused and grunted. He wasn't expecting her to struggle. "Get rid of it!"

Like a nightmare, her jewelry was ripped off. It was horrifying to be stripped of one of her defensive barriers. She felt so vulnerable and exploited. Weiss had never felt this violated in her whole life.

Before she could even react, Jacques stomped on it like it was trash. Like glass, the bangle shattered under the intense pressure. The intricate pair of wings split in half as Weiss' eyes popped out of their sockets.

"It was obviously fake," Jacques huffed. "Schnee's don't wear cheap knock-offs of any kind!"

Weiss stared at the shattered pieces as tears threatened to spill over. "It's priceless!"

Weiss didn't know what to do, so she let her body react for her.

She ran.

Not wanting to hear a response, she bolted through the halls and to the staircase. Unbeknownst to her, Klein was by the stairs and called out to her, but she was too upset to acknowledge him. Too upset to even spare her caring butler a glance.

At last, she retreated to her room and locked the door as a sob slipped out. She placed a hand over her mouth to stifle the small noises. If it was possible, she felt trapped and somewhat safe at the same time. Her feelings didn't make any sense.

In a heap, she landed on her bed and broke tears didn't stop streaming through her heart. She felt helpless, powerless, and meaningless.

Her cheek stung, and so did the mark over her left eye.

After a deep breath, her hand strayed under her white shirt to find the thin chain. She gently pulled it out and stared at the locket. Fondly, she rubbed her fingers over the engraved angel wings, taking solace in them.

 _At least I still have you._

* * *

 **Lyrics from the song Here by Amalee:**

" **I'm powerless, I'm meaningless like every scar. And as I cry tears fill inside right through my heart."**

 **I love the freezerburn dynamic, but the Yang & Glynda banter is a blast.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	27. It's a Long Story

Every step of the way home, Yang was there to act as a crutch for her exhausted sisters.

Honestly, Yang wished Weiss was there to help hold them upright. They were similar in stature, so it wouldn't be much of an issue. Since they were already home, Yang shrugged it off. The extra workout wasn't so bad. And she got to help her family. Her new teammates.

Now that their auras were unlocked, it's only a matter of time before they discover their semblances. However, that could wait. From the looks of it, Ruby and Blake were utterly drained and stumbled all the way. It was a wonder how they managed to stay awake during dinner.

Luckily for them, Tai had ordered pizza ahead of time. By the time his daughters arrived, the table was already set and the cardboard box rested on the granite island.

Before Ruby and Blake could crash, Yang ordered them to eat, stating that it would be better for them in the long run. If they went to bed on empty stomachs, there was no doubt they'd wake up the next day with a headache.

Reluctantly, Ruby and Blake sat on the chairs and nibbled a few pieces here and there. They ate what they could, and tried their hardest to finish the delectable slices to not worry their father. At least after this they could go to sleep and hopefully be fine by morning for school.

Naturally, their fatigue didn't go unnoticed by Taiyang. His daughters could barely keep their eyes open. When he bought pizza, they'd normally dig in and devour it.

Concerned, Taiyang leaned in. Ruby and Blake sat across from him, so he had a front row view of his ailing daughters. "Are you guys okay?"

Ruby mumbled something as she dipped her head. The poor girl looked like she was about to face plant on her pizza that was topped with ham and cheese. Giving up, she sipped on some water and didn't slurp it.

This raised alarm bells in Tai's mind. If Ruby was so tired that she didn't try to tease him, it must've been worse than he thought. He was confused why Yang was her natural, chipper self. She looked tired as well, but not nearly as much as the other two.

Fortunately, Blake was more aware and conscious of how she presented herself, but it was clear she was straining just to lift the heavy eyelids. "We're good. It was a long day is all," she said to soothe her worried father.

"It's only six," Tai deadpanned.

"It was a long weekend," Blake corrected herself.

Yang leaned onto her father with a knowing grin. "Since you gave 'em permission to stalk me, I made sure to give them a good work out. Had to mess with them somehow."

"You're evil."

"You let it happen," Yang smirked.

When Yang found out her dad gave his daughters permission to sneak around and follow her, the blonde brawler figured she could use that against him. Tai looked skeptical at first. Like he didn't permit his daughters to do such a thing, but it was obvious Yang was well-aware of what happened. There was no point in hiding it.

"What'd you make them do?" he asked with suspicion.

"Nothin' too traumatizing," Yang left it at that.

That's when Ruby whipped her head up. "Worth it!"

After Tai swallowed a bite, he held out a fist to Ruby. "There she is."

Happily, Ruby returned the gesture and fist-bumped him. After, she went back to nibbling on the delicious pizza. Although she was too tired to savor any taste.

A few moments of silence passed as the four chewed. The only sound was Zwei's eager pants under the table and the occasional sip of water.

"I almost burnt the hawaiian pizza," Taiyang casually mentioned.

"Didn't you have it delivered?" Yang asked.

Taiyang ignored the question and continued with a mischievous grin. "I should've put it on _aloha_ setting."

Ruby and Blake had no energy to retort the lame joke. Not enough to even groan. All they could do was sigh internally. It was even worse when Yang high-fived and encouraged him.

"Ay, another good one!" the blonde cheered. "How long did it take ya to think of that one?"

"I bought it for the joke."

That elicited a snicker from Yang. He took a great amount of pride in his jokes like his daughter. "Why am I not surprised?"

The measly speck of comfort Blake could provide for Ruby was a gentle hand on her back. At least they had each other to survive this. They were the only sane ones in the family.

Taiyang faced his blonde daughter. "How'd your weekend with the girl go?"

"Oh, um," the sudden question caused Yang to lean back in her chair. "It was good."

Well, more like complicated. And exhausting. And wonderful. And the best weekend of her life.

Yang and Weiss trekked through random vegetation all night. They got to enjoy each other's company to the fullest. That was by far Yang's favorite part.

Even when some grimm interrupted their time together, she still had a blast with her partner. Even when they fell into an abyss that was a miles long drop, she took comfort in that unbreakable trust and bond she forged with the priestess. Even when they were surrounded by danger the entire time, Yang had never felt so at peace with herself.

Butterflies fluttered in her stomach when her thoughts gravitated to the shorter girl. Her presence definitely made the journey worth it. Being with her was enough. Honestly, Yang didn't even mind that the relic was stolen as much as she thought she would. Because she got that valuable experience with her partner and cherished that above all else.

Her mind wandered to what happened in the unknown. The blonde had the privilege of holding Weiss in her arms. That sent a surge of emotion to wash over her in calm waves. She wished that would happen again. She wanted to have an excuse to initiate physical contact.

She savored the cuddle session at the moment, but she found herself craving more.

Unbeknownst to her, a blush formed.

She thought about how Weiss accidentally triggered that trap. When the death stalker crawled out of its lair. That the relic was embedded in its stinger. And how they defeated it successfully.

Fondly, Yang curled her fingers as she stared at her hands. She recalled the feeling of her right hand when it was wrapped around Weiss. How one hand easily held onto her torso and how she tossed her effortlessly like a football.

 _Woah…_ Yang thought as she stared at her palms. _Weiss is small…_

Yang was almost positive her hand wrapped around her entire waist when they performed the risky stunt. She's surprised the iron grip didn't break her. Her heart beat a little faster as she sank in her chair in utter shock from the epiphany. She'd always known Weiss was small, but she never registered how small.

After that stunt, the grimm fell. The mission was almost complete, but then that half-demon ruined everything. Their hard work had been for nothing. However, if Yang had the option, she wouldn't go back and change a thing. Thanks to the failed mission, Ruby and Blake were now part of the team. This was no longer a single partnership. This was a team effort.

Despite everything that went wrong, it couldn't have turned out more perfect.

"Yang?" Taiyang asked, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Are you tired, too? You're daydreaming."

"O-oh yeah, I'm fine!" Yang reassured with a wave.

Tai sent her a deadpan expression. "Last time you told me that, you passed out."

"I'm being honest," Yang said sincerely. "This weekend was great," she glanced over at her sisters, who were almost asleep while sitting up. "Maybe a little _too_ great. If you don't mind, I'm gonna put them in bed. They're tuckered out."

Like a toddler begging to be picked up, Ruby lifted her arms as her head was dipped. She looked like she was about to fall out of her chair and barely latched onto their conversation. The mention of sleep was enough to make her strain her arms with what little energy she had left.

Taiyang chuckled from the sight as he stood. "I'll help."

"Thanks," Yang replied.

Easily, Taiyang lifted Ruby in his arms. She let out a soft sigh as she melted into his warm embrace. That was the last thing that came from her lips as he headed up the stairs. She couldn't even stay awake to make it to her bed.

Blake gave a valiant effort to stand, but she stumbled. Thankfully, Yang was there to keep her upright.

"Slow down, Blakey," Yang whispered softly. "There's no rush."

Judging by her droopy cat ears, Blake was already halfway into the realm of slumber. It tugged on her consciousness even as she stood. The two took it slow, but it was obvious that Blake was straining to walk, much less make it up the stairs. With a plan, Yang scooped a hand under her knees and kept a hand on her back as she lifted her effortlessly.

"Yang-"

Before Blake could protest, Yang hushed her. "Close your eyes. Don't worry 'bout a thing."

Reluctantly yet willingly, Blake complied. Her body was stiff at first, but then she relaxed in her arms when she realized how strong Yang was.

Fondly, Yang soothed her fingers over her bangs to wipe them away from her eyes. Yang made her way up the stairs and headed for the faunus' room. Carefully, she laid Blake on the comfy mattress and slid off her tennis shoes that'd seen better days.

 _Thank you for caring so much about me. Sweet dreams._

Yang tucked her in, making sure her skin wasn't exposed to the outside world. She gave her sleeping sister a once-over before walking over to the door. She flicked off the lights and carefully shut the door.

Her father was waiting in the hallway. Behind him was Zwei, who tilted his head in wonder. As if he asked the question that Taiyang did.

"What exactly happened to them?"

Yang heavily sighed.

"It's a long story."

* * *

"How was the rest of your weekend?"

After Weiss shut her locker, she turned around to face Blake, who asked the question.

"It was fine," she answered curtly. "Are you feeling alright? How was the ritual?"

"Definitely not what I expected," Blake replied with awe in her voice. "It was interesting to watch our auras connect with us. It felt so warm. It's like I'm finally complete. I don't know how to explain it. It was like I was pieces before and now I feel whole. Does that make sense?"

"It certainly is hard to put into words," Weiss mused. "However, that's how I felt as well if words can describe. It was a welcome feeling. Are you feeling okay? It feels nice in the moment but after it's a train wreck."

Blake stifled a giggle. "Ruby and I got over twelve hours of sleep last night. We barely made it through dinner."

"My, it was that bad?"

After Yang adjusted her backpack, she chimed in. "Yep, they had to be carried to their rooms. They almost fell outta their chairs."

"Did not!" Ruby exclaimed.

"Did too!" Yang retorted.

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

Cat ears flickered wildly from the yelling. "Guys," Blake interjected. "You're drawing attention to us."

Unbeknownst to them, there were various wandering eyes. Students were whispering at looking directly at the four. Yelling in the middle of the school's hallway was a great way to get unwanted attention.

Weiss sighed and muttered. "Bunch of dolts…"

Ruby paid the other students no mind. "I slept like a rock. It took a lot out of us."

Yang shook her head. "You guys really worried Dad."

Blake gave her a look. "Says you."

"Ah, whatever."

Things were seemingly back to normal. Ruby and Blake even felt well-enough to attend school. Deep down, the group of girls wondered when the next relic hunt would be, but that could wait. Readjusting to daily life was also important.

Since her side-ponytail was caught under her backpack strap, Weiss lifted her hand to adjust it. That's when Blake caught a glimpse of her wrist when the sleeve slightly rolled down. It was barely, just barely, but it was enough.

Amber eyes widened the size of dinner plates. Either she was seeing things or the normally pale skin was a shade of blue. Before Blake could even think, Weiss lowered her hand and went back to conversing with Ruby.

The world around Blake suddenly become muffled as her perceptiveness kicked in. The faunus also noticed that the bangle bracelet wasn't there. Normally, it was attached to the priestess like super glue. At the very least, it was an important piece of jewelry. A barrier she should be wearing at all times.

Internally, Blake tried to compose herself. She had a solid guess as to what happened, and would base her answer on her friend's reaction.

"Hey, Weiss," Blake called, which caused her friends to stop conversing. "Where's your bracelet?"

"I accidentally broke it," came the immediate reply.

A cat ear flicked. Why did it sound like her answer was rehearsed?

"That doesn't sound like you," Blake said softly, not accusingly. "It's not like you to be clumsy."

Weiss confidently placed a hand on her hip like she was challenging the faunus. "After everything that's happened, it's suffice to say that we're all trying to readjust. Wouldn't you agree?"

L _eave it to Blake to be perceptive just after the brink of collapse,_ Weiss thought. _Maybe I shouldn't have answered her so quickly. She has that look on her face._

Her expression was undeniable. Blake knew there was far more to the story. All Weiss could do was send her a daring stare.

Yang chimed in. "Regardless of what happened to it, we'll get you a new one."

Weiss scowled, but not harshly. "I don't feel comfortable having a barrier bracelet when the rest of the team doesn't."

Ruby widely grinned when Weiss said the word 'team.' From now on, they were all in this together.

"Weiss," Ruby began. "Ozpin said so himself. The bangle only works for priestesses. You're the one with the locket and relics. It's your duty to protect them."

Weiss never thought of it like that. She was too concerned for her teammates.

"I won't deny that you're right," the priestess replied. "However, it's _our_ duty. It's the four of us now."

"That's right," Yang sent her a nod. "Let's get Oz to make another. He can conjure it up in no time."

"Okay," Weiss murmured in defeat.

Subconsciously, Weiss grasped her wrist, where the bracelet used to be wrapped around. Blake wasn't sure if the shorter girl realized it, but she gave her friends a smile. It was painfully forced and… sad.

That caused Bake's heart to stop.

The bruise. A missing bracelet. A confidential home life. It didn't take a genius to put two and two together.

Concern overran Blake's form as the world suddenly plummeted on her shoulders and weighed her down. She barely heard Yang say it was time to go to class and allowed Ruby to tug her along.

What was she supposed to do with this information? Confront her? Pretend like she didn't notice? Whatever Blake decided, she was going to do it for the benefit of her friend.

Right now, she had to act like her normal self. Even when she felt extremely worried about her teammate. She wondered how long her home life had been in shambles. Now that she thought about it, Weiss liked to take her time after school. She never directly went home after the final bell. Usually, she'd linger and go to the library or piano room.

After Blake saw the bruise, she understood why. It clicked, which made her heart sink even lower.

Before she realized it, they were in front of the door to the lecture hall. This period, all four had the same class with Port.

Yang and Weiss walked in first. From their mere presence, professor Port dropped the papers in his arms and lightly gasped.

"Ms. Xiao Long!" Port practically yelped in shock. "Ms. Schnee!"

"Uh, hi professor!" Yang greeted with a friendly grin.

"Please," he almost begged like he was afraid of the pair. "Take your seats."

Sensing Yang was only making this more awkward, Weiss coaxed her along to sit in nearby chairs. "You're making this worse," she whispered.

"Well soooorry for being friendly."

Ruby and Blake sat next to them with confused expressions, not understanding why Port reacted that way.

"What the heck did you guys do to him?" Ruby murmured.

"Eheh," Yang attempted a dry laugh.

Weiss and Yang gazed at each other as they recalled what made him so scared of them. In their last encounter, Yang adorned her brass knuckles and Weiss had her rapier attached to her skirt. They probably looked a tad intimidating to the unarmed man.

"He looked like he was about to pee himself!" Ruby whispered harshly.

To make sure he didn't, the blonde leaned over to check his pants. No darker spots. Honestly, she wouldn't be surprised if he did piss his pants.

"That's the thing," Yang began. "We technically didn't do anything."

Blake gave her a look. "Do we want to know?"

Weiss leaned in and whispered lowly so no one else but her teammates could hear.

"The day we were called to the headmaster's office, we were actually summoned to eliminate a grimm. In case such a thing would happen, Yang and I kept our weapons in our lockers. The headmaster himself said that was permissible, although professor Port was oblivious to that fact. When he saw us with weapons in the hallway, he quite literally freaked out and assumed we'd murder him."

"What?!" Ruby blurted.

The sudden outburst attracted unwanted gazes. Quickly, Weiss covered her mouth.

"Quiet you dolt," Weiss whispered. "We don't want Port knowing we were talking about him."

Luckily, the professor was unaware as he pushed his chair under his desk. He was making final adjustments before class could start.

On reflex, Ruby licked the palm that covered her mouth. Instantly, Weiss recoiled with a startled yelp.

"You dolt!" Weiss chided. "First your barbarian of a sister does this and now you?! Blake, is this some infectious gene!?"

It was obvious the faunus wasn't paying attention when she stammered. Until now, she'd been in a stupor. "O-oh um, no. I try not to do that."

Ruby gave Weiss a knowing look. She received a glower in return. "What happened to being quiet?"

All the priestess could do was seethe internally and grit her teeth as she rubbed her wet hand on Ruby's red hood.

"H-hey, Weissy stop!"

"You brought this on yourself."

When her hand was dry, Yang leaned in and used an amused tone.

"Mercury and Emerald aren't here."

Ruby narrowed her eyes. "They better not be."

"Where do you think they went?" Yang asked, looking angry. "They can't drop outta school, can they?"

"One thing's for certain," Weiss seethed in a low voice. "They're with the half-demon."

She said that with such malice it took Yang aback. That's when she remembered her partner's reaction to just _seeing_ Cinder.

She added that to the list of things she'd ask her about later.

* * *

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	28. Our Duty

"I felt so bad for her."

Jaune sheepishly sighed as he finished his story. He picked up the fork next to him and fiddled with the mashed potatoes on his plate as his friends sent him curious, sympathetic gazes.

"Gum did that…" Pyrrha mumbled, trying to imagine how the girl in the story persevered.

Nora was the most intrigued by the blond boy's story. "You have seven sisters?!"

Confused, Jaune met her eager eyes. "I just told you about how my sister had to shave her head because of me and that's what you picked up?"

Ren slowly nodded. "We know you have sisters, but not that many."

The chatters all around them engulfed the atmosphere. Multiple students sparked animated conversation. Team RWBY sat next to the four friends as they finished lunch during the extended period.

Blake sat across the blond boy with her hands in her lap, having finished her sandwich moments ago. "I can barely handle these two," she pointed to both seats next to her, where Ruby and Yang sat. This earned her mischievous grins. "How do you do it?"

After Jaune swallowed a bite of ham, he spoke. "I ask myself that every day. Anyway, her hair's fine now that it's been a few years. It grew back! Don't you think she should cut me some slack?"

With the most stoic expression, Yang leaned in and said in a stern tone. "No. Sorry, vomit boy. Sounds like she treasures her locks. You don't mess with them under any circumstance. It's girl code."

"It was an accident!" Jaune flailed his arms in emphasis. "Doesn't that mean anything?"

Blake's car ear flicked. "That you're clumsy?"

That earned a heavy sigh. Jaune almost dipped his head, but whipped it back up when the table shook. Yang had jokingly slammed her fists on the table. Some plates partially jumped from impact.

"Sounds like it was a tragedy," she quipped, imagining what it'd be like if her head was shaven.

There was no food in Jaune's throat, but he gulped. "You're saying that I won't be able to put up her hair ever again?"

Yang sat with her arms crossed and leaned back in her chair with finality. "Probably not. Cheer up, you have six other sisters to mess with."

Jaune simply shrugged. "I guess you're right. I just wish Jess wouldn't cower in fear whenever I chew gum."

Ruby couldn't stifle the giggle. She imagined a little blonde girl jokingly cowering in fear at the mere sight of the harmless boy chewing gum.

Relaxing, Yang placed her hands on the back of her head. "I wouldn't count on her forgiveness."

"Aw, but it was a couple years ago!" Jaune moped in exasperation. "It's a shame. I'm going to miss putting her hair in a ponytail. It was by far the softest of my family's."

Nora chimed in with an impish grin. "Until you screwed her life up."

"Nora," Pyrrha almost chided. "Please don't exaggerate. He feels bad enough."

Yang nodded in understanding. "I feel bad for you," she said with a wiggle of her brow. "Playing with hair that's not your own is the best."

From the comment, Weiss unintentionally froze as she was drinking her water. That's when she glanced over to meet the blonde's irresistible, knowing gaze. When azure met lilac, Weiss set the glass on the table.

Simultaneously, the pair's cheeks heated up as they recalled the fond memory.

After the perilous food fight a few weeks prior, Weiss groomed Yang's hair. The atmosphere was practically filled with bubbles when the two sat on Yang's bed. It was serene and peaceful. In that moment, Weiss found herself wishing time would stop so she could savor the moment even longer.

Pale hands missed brushing those silky blonde tresses. Since then, she'd been waiting for an excuse to fiddle with the impressive mane. It seemed Yang enjoyed the experience just as much as her as she smiled at those rosy cheeks. Being on the receiving end of grooming was refreshing. Especially if the touches were feather-like and distinctive.

Back then, the two had just showered. Their natural aromas freely lingered in their noses and intoxicated them in the best way. Yang recalled her partner smelled like sweet vanilla, while Weiss blushed from the sugary honey scent that trailed in her thoughts whenever she was near the blonde.

Ruby noticed the two were staring at each other and forced an obviously fake cough. "Uh, guys?"

That snapped them out of their stupor. Yang frantically shook her head to snap herself out of it while Weiss instantly glanced away. Until then, their friends had been conversing with each other. The sounds had been muffled when they met each other's gaze.

It wasn't until they stared for a while did Ruby grow concerned.

"I-It's nice until you find mustard in the hair," Weiss said, unable to fight the blush. "That ruins the moment."

"Oh, would it now?" Yang egged her on with the wiggle of her brow.

"Y-yes," Weiss stammered. "It would be all... crusty."

"Ew," Ruby cringed in disgust from the mere word. "That's nasty."

Yang scoffed in offense. "It wasn't that gross! I'd just taken a shower."

Ruby seemed confused by that. "I didn't know that we're talking about you?"

Speechless, all Yang could do was stutter. "W-uh…" she didn't mean to say that since she didn't know if it was supposed to be a secret.

"Yang?!" Ruby yelped with envy. "She got to touch your hair?!"

The blonde was still stunned as she glanced to the left at Weiss. From the looks of it, she didn't seem to mind as the blush never left her cheeks. All the priestess did was keep her hands folded in her lap and stare at the remaining sliced apples on her plate that suddenly became a thousand times more interesting.

Nora had been listening in and sent Yang a mischievous grin. "Your hair can't be that awesome."

"Have you seen it?" after Yang sassily flipped her hair off her shoulder, she sent her own impish grin. "Guess you'll never find out."

Seeing that as a challenge, Nora carefully leaned over to grab the luscious locks. Her hand slowly reached out to give Yang time to react in case she was going too far. Their friends looked on, wondering how Yang would react.

Just one strand couldn't hurt-

Her hand was intercepted by the blonde's own. Yang grabbed her wrist and held it in mid-air. "Don't even think about it," she almost growled.

Instantly, Nora backed down and sat in her chair. "The arm wrestling champion has spoken."

Nora knew better than to pick a fight in the cafeteria. Not to mention Yang had grown incredibly strong these last few weeks. Might as well not fight a match she couldn't win. Or almost murdered from.

Before anyone else could speak, the shattering of glass came from above. This elicited multiple gasps and started yelps to ring out as all eyes fixed on the window. A small bird had flown in and began screeching wildly.

The sudden foreign noises caused any animated conversations to cease. Unfortunately, JNPR was just below the window that broke violently. Before the sharp shards could shower on them, Jaune covered Pyrrha while Ren shielded Nora.

The pieces of shards scattered to the ground. A few landed on the brave boys' shoulders. There were no signs of blood or ripped clothing, so they looked fine.

Hastily, Ruby stood. "Are you guys okay?"

Jaune looked to Ren. "Ren? You good?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, you?"

"Peachy."

Startled, Pyrrha stood. "Thank you, Jaune."

"No problem, Pyr. Are you good?"

She gave him a small smile. "Thanks to you."

Nora hugged Ren. "Thanks, Ren!"

"Anytime."

Now that that was settled, their attention was back on the smaller black bird. It screeched as it flew just above students' heads, which caused them to crouch under tables. For a moment, team RWBY assumed it was another grimm, but it was clear that other people could see the animal.

Blake smirked as more yelps filled the air when the bird soared around. As a result, her cat ears flickered wildly. "Whose got this?"

With a devilish smirk, Nora picked up what was left of her cheeseburger. Like a football, she hurled it at the squawking bird that was frantically flying, but she horribly missed by several feet and ended up hitting Cardin in the back.

Instead of cowering, Nora stood tall with a smug grin.

"Who the hell threw that _again_!?" Cardin roared, slamming his hands against the table.

Nora sauntered up to him and poked his chest. "How about you handle the bird, Winchester?"

"Last name jokes. So clever," Cardin irritably replied with the roll of his eyes. "It's not my problem-"

That's when a white substance plopped on his shoulder. It wasn't hard to guess what it was as the warm liquid oozed down his arm.

Nora gave him a funny look, not even trying to stifle a giggle. "Now it is."

As more students screamed and evacuated the cafeteria, Nora went back over to her friends and slapped a nearby burger in Pyrrha's hand. "You're better at aiming."

Dumbfounded, Pyrrha yelped. "I won't hurt a helpless bird!"

Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose as she listened to the chaos all around them. "First a food fight. Now this."

Gently, Yang elbowed her side and pointed in the distance. This effectively caught her attention as she narrowed her eyes. On top of one of the tables that wasn't flipped over, was a tiny beowolf cub. The grimm playfully spun in several circles as its tongue lolled out the side.

Ruby's jaw dropped. "Woah… is that…?"

"A beowolf cub," Yang answered and kept her voice low so others wouldn't hear. "That's a grimm. No one besides us can see it."

While Ruby and Blake gawked at their first ever-seen grimm, the pup luxuriously sat on the wooden table like it owned the place. Its fluffy black tail wiggled back and forth as its red eyes focused solely on the yelping bird.

From what Yang and Weiss told them, grimm were something to fear. They weren't- _this_.

The adorable black pup with a white mask plopped down as it watched the bird with calculating red eyes. Its head shifted whenever the bird would change directions, which was every second. Besides the dark appearance, it appeared to be another puppy.

"It's so cute…" Ruby breathed, unable to stop watching it.

Blake was never a fan of dogs, but she had to agree. "It has extra fluff."

The bird flew just above the pup as it continued squawking. That's when the grimm stood on its hind legs and leapt in the air. For such a small creature, the grimm could pounce high like a cat.

Successfully, the grimm snatched the shrieking bird in mid-air and brought it down to the floor with a vicious growl. The growl was so menacing that it caused Ruby and Blake to take a step back. It wasn't a normal growl like Zwei's cute ones. It was the growl of a beast. It didn't take long for the helpless bird to stop shrieking as the grimm chewed on it like a squeaky toy.

A cat ear flicked as Blake watched the lethal scene. "That's what a baby sounds like…"

Jaune yelped when he saw the bird had suddenly veered down for a crash landing on the floor. "Did it have a heart attack in mid-air?!"

"It dropped dead…" Pyrrha breathed in disbelief. "Poor thing. Maybe this was too much."

In the silence, Goodwitch busted through the doors without a word. She didn't even grumble anything under her breath as she strode toward the downed bird that had stopped screeching. Prepared, she adorned gloves.

By now, most of the cafeteria was cleared out. Only eight students remained.

Knowing people were watching, Glynda casually swatted the small cub to the side. The grimm tumbled across the floor with a yelp and rolled against a chair leg. Determined to get this over with, the professor picked up the unmoving bird as the black mass scrambled to hide under a nearby table.

"Can you go a week without an incident?" Ms. Goodwitch questioned the eight remaining students, but looked directly at Yang.

Yang scoffed in defense. "Hey, this time, it wasn't our fault! That bird came outta nowhere!"

All Goodwitch could do was sigh as she took her leave. Before the doors shut, she called over her shoulder. "Handle it."

Knowing what she was referring to, Yang and Weiss nodded.

Not understanding, Jaune whispered to himself. "Handle what? Didn't she handle it?"

Now Ruby and Blake knew exactly what the professor was talking about. Curious about the small grimm, Blake cautiously approached it with stealthy feet. She made sure to keep her distance as she peaked under the tables to catch its form. The grimm was shaking a bit, clearly startled from the events. The rest of her friends joined her side as they watched it from a distance.

Weiss felt a scowl form, and she lowered her voice in a murmur. "Those are the monsters that used to run this place."

"Monsters!?" Ruby yelped like she was hearing things. "Look at it. It's so cute! Maybe cuter than Zwei!"

From the thought of someone thinking anything was cuter than Zwei, Weiss snapped. "You take that back."

"Aw," Ruby continued to coo as she watched the pup lick its paw. "Why'd you want them to stop bothering ya, Weissy? It's adorable."

Even if the creature was supposed to look intimidating from the black form, red eyes, and developing armor, it was nothing short of lovable. All Blake could do was watch it with calculating eyes. She supposed it had potential to be menacing. Its teeth looked sharp even from this distance. A fully grown beowolf would certainly be frightening.

Knowing her other friends were still present, Yang whispered. "You won't say that when they try to kill you."

It was then that Ruby recalled her earlier words. There are way bigger versions of these grimm. They may look cute now, but they grow up to become killers.

Ruby was intimidated from the thought. "Was it always like this for you guys?"

Weiss sighed from the memory of the school being like a zoo. "There used to be more. A zoo of them, might I add. They're less cute when they pester you all day. When my aura was unlocked, the baby grimm decreased in number. Now they somewhat fear our presence since there's four of us with aura."

Her words rang true when the cub slowly backed away and hid behind a thin chair leg. It looked at them like the four schoolgirls were hungry predators.

"Like we said," Yang began in murmur. "There's bigger, and even bigger versions of that cub. Don't get used to grimm this size. They're vicious, and anything but cute."

Weiss examined her friends as they processed her words. Ruby and Blake seemed to be in deep thought. "You've yet to see a real grimm. This one's a nuisance," she said bitterly like it was a mere pest.

Heeding Goodwitch's orders, Weiss approached the tiny, frightened grimm that let out another growl. Except this one was less menacing and more frightened. The pup tried to scramble away, but its legs were too short to make larger strides away from the determined priestess. Easily, Weiss grabbed the creature by the midsection and held it up with one hand and presented it to her friends.

The pup was yelping and screeching, desperately trying to escape. Deep down, Weiss felt heartless, but this was for the best. If she let even one baby grimm get away, it would grow up to become a monster. Even worse, hurt her loved ones.

Weiss didn't look proud of herself as she firmly gripped the struggling beowolf. "This is what we do to grimm."

All Ruby and Blake could do was watch. Meanwhile, Yang gave her the permitted nod. Unbeknownst to them, Jaune had made his way over and wondered why everyone was staring at Weiss' empty hand.

"Hey guys, what's going on?" he asked, intrigued.

The girls ignored his curiosity as they watched the scene. The priestess seeped her aura into the squirming grimm. She only trickled a little cool aura into the cub since it was so small.

The white light flashed for a moment. There was that familiar white hypnotic spark, and a final screech ensued as the creature withered away into nothingness. Weiss didn't have to hold it up anymore as her hand lowered to her side.

Ruby's jaw dropped, still stunned from the scene. "D-did you kill it?"

"Purified it," Weiss corrected with a poker face.

Needless to say, Jaune was so confused. "What are you guys talking about?"

Like he was a fly, Yang lightly pushed him away. "This is team talk time. Go somewhere else please."

Sensing she was in no mood to argue, Jaune obeyed with a sigh. When he joined his friends, the group walked out the door. Now it was only the four girls in the spacious cafeteria.

Weiss gave Ruby a stern look. "This is our duty, Ruby. If you see any grimm, no matter the size, show it no mercy, or you may come to regret it someday."

"Wha…"

Yang placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "It may seem heartless, but one day that grimm would've grown up and harmed someone we love. It could've harmed you."

From that, Blake straightened up as reality set in. The two knew exactly what they were getting into when they joined the team. It was time to take responsibility.

"Understood."

* * *

 **Poor baby wittle beowolf! Too bad you suck.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	29. I'm Sorry

The vast room was quiet as the fiddling of pencils met paper.

There'd been a comfortable silence as the two worked in peace. Now and then, Yang would ask Weiss some questions about the recent physics assignment. It was their first tutoring session, and so far Yang had kept her word. She was putting in great effort and hadn't goofed off in a while.

Weiss was impressed at her progress. From what she understood, Yang was only having problems understanding which formulas worked where. She understood most of the concepts, but not being able to plug in the numbers posed a challenge. She needed to do that to solve the equations given.

The two sat next to each other on the piano, using the closed keyboard as a desk. Since Weiss had keys to the piano room due to her perks of being a model student, they decided to use it instead of the library. It was always filled with students and lingered with mindless chatter. This way, they had some privacy.

Yang had worked hard since she stepped in this room to keep her promise to Weiss, but her brain was running on fumes. It almost felt like it was steaming as she rubbed her hair in frustration. Weiss noticed this and set the pencil down to give her full attention.

"Ugh," Yang couldn't bite back the groan as she stared down at the next complicated problem. "Can we take a break?"

Weiss checked the clock on the wall. It'd been an hour and a half since they started and her partner had been nothing but determined. "I don't see why not. You've been doing well so far. I'm surprised you haven't tried to dilly-dally."

"Only because I have the best teacher," Yang replied with a sunny smile. "I don't wanna mess this up."

The barest hint of red grazed Weiss' cheeks. "It's hardly been me. If you keep this up maybe you can receive an A."

Unable to help herself, Yang lightly scoffed. "I'd be failing without you."

"This is our first session," Weiss deadpanned.

Yang adorned an impish grin. "My previous statement stands."

"Brute," Weiss fondly muttered. She was glad she could spend some alone time with Yang. Usually, they'd have some company. That reminded her, Ruby and Blake went home immediately after school. Normally, they lingered after to chat. Today, they seemed like they were on a mission to get home. "How're Ruby and Blake handling things?"

Yang held her chin in thought. "I really think that beowolf cub incident opened their eyes. They'll be mean grimm killing machines in no time."

Intrigued, the priestess perked an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Mhm," Yang hummed with confidence. "Ruby's already started practicing shooting rounds with her sniper rifle."

From surprise, Weiss' voice raised a few octaves. "That dolt has a gun?"

"It's technically Dad's," Yang clarified. "It might as well be hers. She's used it since she was little. She's always been a good shot, but she hasn't hunted in a while. To get ready for fights, she's been practicing her aim since she's a little rusty. That's what she's been doing after school lately," Yang chuckled fondly. "Sometimes I catch her shooting random soda cans in the middle of the night. For some reason she thinks the neighbors can't hear a gunshot."

"That dolt," Weiss murmured somewhat happily. She was glad the red-caped girl was taking her new role responsibly. "It'd be really nice to have a good shot on the team. How about Blake? What has she been up to?"

"Ah, the kitten," Yang spoke like she was eager to talk about her progress. "She picked up her katana that's been stashed in her room. She used to train with it all the time. Before her parents died."

"I see…" Weiss didn't want to touch on the sensitive subject.

Yang firmly nodded. "I'm proud of her. I didn't think she'd touch it ever again. I guess this is her way of doing her best to move forward."

Weiss sent her a genuine smile. "Good for her. I'm glad she's no longer clinging to the past."

"Yeah," Yang happily agreed. "When school's over she usually practices swinging on some poor plants. She's precise, too. They're pretty clean cuts. The leaves are sliced right in half."

Proud of the news, Weiss smiled directly at Yang. "Sounds like we have a good team."

"You're tellin' me," the blonde happily chirped. "I'm so proud of them. They haven't even seen what a real grimm looks like and they're ready to kick some butt."

Since normal grimm were much more intimidating than the baby grimm her teammates previously saw, the priestess thought of a plan. "Perhaps we should show them a real grimm before we search for another relic. Just so they know what to expect instead of being shocked the first time."

Yang shrugged in agreement. "I will admit that's a good idea, but I don't think they'd freeze. I think they'd react like how you did."

"Pardon?"

Yang gave her a knowing expression. "Do you remember what you did when you first saw a beowolf?"

"Screamed?"

"True, but that's not was I was gonna say."

"I can't say that I remember."

"You just went at it," the blonde said, impressed. "You had no fear."

"I'm sure that's what it _looked_ like."

Truthfully, she was terrified. Since Yang was by her side, she still felt safe at the same time. It was a strange combination of emotions. Weiss knew she wasn't invincible, but with her partner there, she certainly felt like it.

"You looked so incredible," Yang breathed as she recalled the memory. "You sassed me and then threw yourself into it. I've never been so mesmerized in my life. It was truly incredible."

All Weiss could do was sit there with a blush as she looked down at her papers riddled with math problems. She wasn't used to being praised or complimented so much.

Yang continued with awe in her voice. "My point is that I think we're worrying too much. Ruby and Blake will kick butt like we do. I know it."

"I suppose you're right," Weiss admitted with a sigh. "They handled themselves well in that death trap. Even when they couldn't see the creeps."

"Exactly," Yang chirped, glad they came to an agreement. "Oh, that reminds me. I've been wanting to ask you something about what happened down there."

"What might that be?"

Suddenly, Yang's tone shifted. She become stoic and curious. Like a weight was on her voice. "Why did you react that way to Cinder's presence?" from that, Weiss visibly tensed. "You- you just stiffened like right now. You froze like a deer in headlights. Not to mention, when you saw her and then heard her name, you were livid."

Weiss remained silent as she felt her throat tightened. Yang took this as permission to continue.

"Cinder was affected by you, too. She seemed to recognize you, and maybe even fear you. My question is why? It's okay if you don't want to tell me, but since the half-demon that started this whole mess was effected, I feel like it's important to know what happened between you two."

Weiss' hands were stiffly folded in her lap as she breathed a sigh. "You're right, Yang. You have a right to know. I suppose I should tell you."

When Yang gave her a firm nod, Weiss continued.

"One of the few memories I have from my childhood is my burning home."

From the mention of her childhood, Yang's eyes widened. Rarely did Weiss speak of it. Yang was touched she finally felt comfortable enough to open up about it. Yang noticed how she looked, and almost stopped from continuing, but knew she had to know this.

"There were so many flames," Weiss said softly as her hands curled into her skirt. "Just before I was tossed from the window, I saw… _something_."

Her voice lowered a few notes like Weiss was unsure, yet certain. Curious, Yang leaned in. She didn't want to press, but she had to know.

"What exactly?"

The priestess swallowed the bile in her throat as her stomach churned. "I must've forgotten about it all these years. I didn't want to remember," she paused for a moment as she imagined it clear as day. "There was a face in the flames. The face of the one who killed my mother."

Dreadful silence. Yang didn't even know what to say or how to say it. That day so many years ago had to be so hectic in so many ways. It was only natural that it pained her partner to speak about it.

Determined, Weiss whipped her head up to meet the blonde's concerned gaze. This time, her voice was stern and unyielding. Sharp like a blade. "No human could withstand that fire. Only a demon could. That demon had the face of Cinder."

Yang took a moment to process those words. It was well-known that Cinder had fire powers, so that was very plausible. Not to mention, Cinder was after the relics, it was highly likely that she went after Willow to obtain one.

"I'm so sorry," Yang said softly and placed a hand on her back. "I had no idea."

Fondly, Weiss grasped the locket around her neck. Her heartbeat slammed against her rib cage as the overwhelming feeling of loathing stomped on her.

"She killed my mother, Yang," her voice wavered. "Her reaction confirmed it. She killed her for a mere shard! For greed! She didn't even succeed in taking it!"

Tears were about to spill over, but Weiss stopped them from overflowing as she gripped the locket tighter. She had to hold it together. If not for Yang, for her mother.

Yang sent her a timid smile. "You're alive because of your mom's love."

"And she's not," Weiss reminded grimly.

"I can't thank her enough," fondly, Yang gently grasped the girl's hand that was wrapped around the locket. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Like that, her sadness washed away when they came into contact. Yang's hand was warm like the sun. Weiss' fingers released the jewelry to curl around Yang's own.

"I'm sorry you lost your mom," Yang said. "My mom died in a car accident. She died on impact, so at least it was instant. Ruby's mom went slowly. She suffered. The only memories Ruby has of her are her bedridden and withering away."

Gently, Weiss curled her fingers around her hand as Yang continued the story.

"When Raven and Summer passed, nothing tasted right. Dad kinda… shut down for a while," from the memory, Yang's eyes watered a bit. "I took over mom's duties to take my mind off things. Eventually, Dad felt better. But he's never been the same. Nothing has been. I'm just glad Ruby can't remember that clearly. It was awful seeing Summer like that."

"I'm sorry," Weiss breathed, processing the weight of her words. "I didn't realize how much it affected you since you don't talk about it."

Yang lightly chuckled. "I could say the same about you."

"I guess we're both guilty."

A comfortable silence passed as Yang tightened her grip around her hand. The fond memories of this room overflowed her mind. The sun's rays beamed through the windows as the two sat at the magnificent piano.

Despite it almost being evening, the room was a dim orange from the sun. It was pleasantly tranquil as the silence calmly washed over them.

This was where Yang first introduced Weiss to the New World. Because of that, they'd grown closer than she could imagine. Yang's heart began to beat faster as a blush formed. Especially when she realized that Weiss was gently rubbing her thumb over Yang's own to provide any comfort from their previous conversation.

The blonde's giddy grin vanished when she glanced down in her lap. There was no mistaking it. Weiss' sleeve was rolled up a tiny bit, but it was just enough to spot the discoloration. Her normally pale wrist was green.

"Hey," Yang's voice worriedly raised as alarm bells rang in her head. She lifted the girl's hand for emphasis to show her that she saw. "What happened?"

Hastily, Weiss yanked away and tugged down the sleeve so the discoloration was no longer in sight.

"It's nothing," Weiss said blankly. "Forget it."

"What?" Yang asked in disbelief. The fact that she was so quick to hide it meant only one thing. "It can't be nothing."

"It was my fault," Weiss left it at that. "Now can you please drop it?"

This is exactly what Yang feared. Those icy walls she managed to melt had magically became ice that stood taller than towers and guarded her heart. From the realization, Yang felt her own heart sink.

"Weiss," Yang called with concern laced in her voice. "Don't do this. Please. Don't shut me out. We both know that whatever happened couldn't have been your fault. Please tell me."

Weiss felt powerless and helpless, but most of all, guilty for not being able to tell Yang about her home life. If she told her, Yang would undoubtedly worry. And for what? It's not like she could do anything about it. Because of that, Weiss wanted to shut this topic down as quickly as it started.

Swiftly, Weiss stood and dipped her head down at the piano, unable to meet Yang's concerned gaze.

"I said drop it!"

From the sudden yell, Yang flinched. Rarely did she raise her voice. It boomed throughout the room and sounded like she choked on the words. Like she didn't want to say it. There was a mixture of guilt and stoicness swimming in it, which led Yang to believe that this was a very sensitive matter.

"Hey," slowly, Yang stood. Her voice was soothing as she gently placed a hand on her back. "I just want to know if something's wrong."

Weiss' throat was caught in her mouth. She felt like she was glued to the floor and squeezed her eyes shut. The last thing she ever wanted to do is to worry Yang. The person she trusts the most. The person she trusted with her life. But she wasn't quite ready to discuss her home life with anyone. It was something she kept hidden under lock and key since her mother died.

"Yang," now Weiss' tone was drenched in sorrow. " _Please_ forget it."

Yang had never heard her so… helpless before. Not to mention plea to her. There's no way she could forget something like this, but for her sake, she was willing to drop the subject. For now.

"It's all good," Yang conceded and removed the hand on her back.

"I know you worry," Weiss used a voice that strove for steadiness. "It's one of my favorite traits about you."

From having her heart sink a moment ago, now Yang felt a little better. Now she was swimming, but still struggling. At least her partner wasn't mad at her, but it was clear Weiss was now in a sour mood.

Yang stated sternly with no doubt. "Know that if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here. Always."

"I know, Yang. Thank you."

"Yeah, no problem."

Sadly, Weiss gazed down at the scattered papers. About half the physics problems had been finished. Her heart was heavy and beating fast, so she was in no mood to finish her homework now. There was no way she could get back in the zone after the touchy subject.

The priestess sighed heavily. "I need to go."

As Weiss packed and slid her books in her backpack, Yang worriedly watched her.

"Oh, okay," Yang replied, worried that she upset her. Eager to help, she stood and grabbed a few of her notebooks. "Here, I'll help."

Unknowingly, Weiss somehow smiled. This girl had a knack for always being there for her even when she didn't realize it. The small, kind gesture didn't go unnoticed. Soon, Weiss gathered all her things and slung her backpack around her back.

"Thank you."

"Text me, okay?"

Absentmindedly, Weiss hummed as she made her way over to the large double doors. Before she opened them, Yang heard her whisper barely audibly.

"I'm sorry."

When the door shut, the thud echoed in the room as Yang was left standing there.

Alone.

* * *

 **Yaaaaang you and always worrying about your teammates. How sweet.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	30. Turned Away From the Truth

**LAST SEMESTER OF COLLEGE LET'S GO!**

* * *

When Ruby and Blake were done practicing with their respective weapons for the day, Yang pulled them to the side.

By now, school was over and Yang had just finished practicing her boxing. Her poor red punching bag had seen better days as it dangled helplessly from the basement ceiling.

A few days had passed, and Ruby was a natural at her gun just like she was when she was little. She was getting so good with her rifle that she was nailing squirrels right in the eye, and they'd drop dead instantly.

With great care, Blake cleaned her katana after every session, which had been every day. The blade was just as sharp and glimmered like it was only a day old.

The girls were sweaty and adorned athletic clothing in their signature colors. When they were done eating a steak dinner prepared by Taiyang, they retreated to Blake's room since she had a small table and chairs to fit all three girls.

The three sat next to a mountain of books that sprawled on a desk. The books, old and new, couldn't fit on the few limited bookshelves she had. Above the desk was her shimmering katana that was practically embedded in the wall on its own shelf. Her bed adorned a darker shade of purple and the walls were a white accent.

Interested, Blake placed her hands under her chin and leaned in to meet Yang's troubled gaze. "What'd you need to talk about?"

Ruby crossed her legs and straightened up in her chair. "Yeah, Yang. Why don't you want Dad to hear?"

It was clear that Yang was troubled and had been pondering what she was about to say for a while as she bit her lip. She told Weiss she'd forget about the incident several days prior, but worried thoughts overrode her mind. She couldn't help it. It was in her nature to be protective of the people closest to her.

"It's about Weiss."

Cat ears flickered in recognition and perked up.

Without hesitation, Ruby breathed. "It's about that bruise on her wrist, isn't it?"

"You know?" the blonde questioned, her voice raised a few octaves in shock. "I thought I was the only one."

"I saw it, too," the faunus chimed in sadly. "I didn't know what to do and just… kept it to myself. I guess that wasn't very helpful like what you're trying to do. Sitting down and talking about it."

So all three of them witnessed it? This was news to Yang. She wondered why all of them have been silent about it so far and reluctant to bring it up. Especially since Weiss was one of their closest friends.

"In a way," Ruby began in a bargaining tone. "This is a good thing. All of us saw it, so we know for sure that we're not seeing things."

Blake held her chin in thought. "I noticed it when it was blue. That was when the bangle went missing. Whatever happened to her wrist must've transpired the day before."

There was a pained expression on Yang's face. She was completely heartbroken as the feeling of helplessness crept in. "Why didn't you say something?" her voice wavered and almost cracked. She wasn't being accusatory, and Blake knew that. So did Ruby.

Blake dipped her head like she was ashamed. "I didn't know what to do. What would help her. I thought that if I confronted her, she'd only get defensive and that'd make things worse. I figured it was a sensitive issue, so I ignored it," her fingers curled into her nike shorts. "This is the worst…"

All three girls refused to meet each other's gazes. Each ashamed of their lack of action. There was a looming silence. Since the table was next to the windows, rays crept through the half-closed blinds. Blake always liked it a little dim in her room.

"You're not wrong about that," Yang mentioned, which caused her friends to meet her imploring gaze. "I confronted her a few days ago about it. She got, as you said, defensive and yelled at me to forget about it. We made up, but you can't just forget somethin' like that!"

There was no way Yang would even attempt to, anyway. The look on Weiss' face during the entire conversation haunted her mind since that day. All she wanted was for Weiss to smile and be happy. Yang couldn't make that happen if she didn't know what was going on.

Amber eyes narrowed as Blake curled her fingers around Yang's own. Her voice lowered in mild resentment, searching for someone to blame. "There's no way she 'accidentally' broke it."

Yang's nostrils flared as she tightened her grip around the hand. "I know," he teeth were grit, so it sounded like she was seething and looking for someone to blame.

Ruby stared ahead, focused on the tilted, multicolored books. "Blake, when did you see the bruise? You said it was new?"

"Since it was blue at the time, I assume it was new," the cat faunus clarified as her cat ears flickered in thought. "I noticed it just after we got our auras unlocked. It was the day after, I'm pretty sure."

Clearly, Ruby was in deep thought and tried to keep a composed mind. "Everyone think. What happened that day?"

Yang heavily sighed. "A lot. We were exhausted from travelling from the Black Forest to get home. Then after we ate, we went to the temple to get you guys up to speed."

"But Weiss didn't go," Ruby pointed out as she stared at her older sister. "Why is that?"

Another stretch of silence. The three tried to go back in time to relive the day for any hints. Truth is, everything during that weekend was intense and extremely memorable. Except that tiny, crucial detail that everyone was missing. Shovels dug further in their minds to find the critical information.

Suddenly, everything made sense to Yang. Everything clicked as the world stopped spinning. The birds' chirps became muffled as the room drew in on her. Slowly, she lifted her head to meet their gazes.

"She got a text."

Silver and gold eyes widened. The three recalled that the day had been somewhat carefree aside from utterly exhausting. When they were about to go to the temple, Weiss' phone buzzed. When Weiss checked the text, she went from eager to stoic at the flick of a switch.

"That's right," Blake whispered as everything became clear. "She said she needed to go home?"

"Yeah," Ruby confirmed. "She didn't look too happy about it."

There was a flicker of white in the forest and soon, it vanished as it went further in the woods. Normally, Weiss walked with stride and purpose, but that day, she was hesitant. Why would she dread going home so much? Home is where you can be yourself. A place to unwind and be carefree. A place where people shouldn't be afraid and feel completely safe and secure.

 _Think, Yang,_ the blonde pushed her mind to the limits as she pondered answers. _Her sister is away since she's in the military, so she doesn't see her often. Her mom is gone, so I don't think she has anything to do with it. Weiss only talks about Whitley a little, or Shitley as she lovingly refers to him as._

It was then that Yang reminisced Weiss' reaction to seeing Taiyang. Ah yes, Yang's loving, doting father. The first thing Weiss did was greet him and curtsy, which was too formal for Yang's tastes. Then the two hugged, which caused Yang to widely grin.

Out of habit, Weiss then called Taiyang by his last name. It seemed like the formality was drilled in her. Especially with older male role models. It was then that her thoughts trailed to how Weiss speaks about her father.

She doesn't.

When he happened to be mentioned, her comments were dismissive. With this newfound epiphany, Yang grit her teeth and tightened her fists so much that her knuckles turned white. Lilac eyes warped red and her blonde mane emitted a calm, raging inferno.

Soothingly, Ruby placed a hand on her shoulder. Maybe this would stop her from exploding. "Yang? Are you alright?"

By some miracle, Yang bit back her snarl like a raging beast as the fire within her raged on.

She wanted to snap the _bastard's_ neck!

"It was her father."

She refused to use the word 'dad.' It was sheer effort to be a dad, but any man could be a father.

Hesitantly, Blake called out to her. "Yang, we need you to calm your aura. Can you do that?"

Despite wanting to literally murder Weiss' father, Yang knew she couldn't burn the house down. After a few deep breaths, she slammed her fists on the table. This caused her friends to recoil and look up at the towering, fuming girl.

"She never talks about him. She's never even mentioned him _once_. And _if_ she says anything about family, which is rare, it's about Winter. She'd never hurt her like that! The _bastard!_ I'm gonna kill him! I swear to god-"

"Yang!" rarely did Blake raise her voice. To calm her down, she stood and kept a composed, level head as she stared into those pools of crimson. "Calm yourself-"

"Don't tell me to calm down!"

Now the blonde was almost growling as images of the horrible excuse of a father hitting his own daughter played in her head. This wasn't anything to be calm about! He had to pay! The embers around her form swirled in a fury, which caused the chair that her legs touched to smoke.

Ruby used a soft voice as she placed a hand on her back. "Yang, let's not burn the house down. Okay? We can help Weiss. We need to talk about how to first."

The thought of helping Weiss eased her nerves just a little. After several seconds, the flames withered away, but a huff of hot air remained. Yang took a deep breath to compose herself, and when crimson shifted to lilac, Ruby and Blake knew they were in the clear.

Amber eyes softened from the sight. How passionate Yang was about helping a dear one. "Her father is the likely culprit, but we can't jump to conclusions, Yang."

Yang rolled her eyes in irritation as she tightened her fists. "Oh come on. Let's not play dumb," her words cut through like a blade.

Not backing down, Blake met her determined gaze. "There may be more to the story. There always is."

"That doesn't excuse-"

"I didn't say that," Blake instantly interjected. " _Nothing_ excuses abuse of any kind."

Ruby stood with newfound resolve. "We have to do something, but what?"

Blake let out a frustrated, sad sigh. "There's nothing we can do. We have to wait for Weiss to bring it up on her own."

Knowing that was unlikely, Yang yelled. "But she won't!"

To match Yang's fire, Blake shouted back. "You don't know that!"

"Are you kidding me?!" Yang howled in disbelief. "This is Weiss we're talking about! She doesn't go around tellin' people about her personal problems!"

To compose herself, Blake took a deep breath. When she had a clear mind, she chose her words carefully so they'd make sense to a raging Yang Xiao Long. "You said she opened up to you about her mother, right?"

"Well, yeah-"

"Then maybe what caused that bruise is more painful for her to talk about," Blake said levelly, which caused Yang to seem taken aback. "You have to be patient or you'll push her away. You said it yourself. When you brought it up, she got defensive and you had a fight."

Skeptical from the suggestion, Yang narrowed her eyes. "I've been patient. She doesn't trust me. That's all I can think about. After all we've been through, she doesn't trust me enough."

Ruby used a soft voice as she traced circles on her older sister's back. "Yang, you know that's not true."

"What Ruby said," Blake agreed with a nod.

Deep down, Yang knew they were right. They had to be. After everything that's happened, there was no doubt. Yang and Weiss displayed sheer loyalty and trust to one another over and over again. Enough to trust each other with their lives.

If Yang had the option, she'd never choose a different partner. Ever. Weiss was the only one for her.

It felt so discouraging that Weiss didn't talk about her home life with her. Then again, Blake's earlier words hit the nail on the head. Maybe it was too painful for her to talk about. Based on Weiss' defensive reaction, Blake was right.

After all these years, Yang had worked tirelessly to melt that icy shell. She succeeded and had gotten so close to her heart, but more ice trapped it in a prison before she could reach out. That was the worst part. This feeling of helplessness. Of powerlessness. It ate at her very being. It was ironic. Yang could save her from a pack of merciless beowolves, but not from her own father.

"You're right," Yang dipped her head as she stared at the blurry table. She didn't even realize that tiny rivulets had rolled down her cheeks until Ruby brushed them away. "All I can do... is wait."

She hated those words. Acknowledging that she had to wait made the helplessness take hold. If Yang felt like this now, she couldn't imagine what Weiss had been feeling all this time.

Not being able to do anything but wait was an awful feeling. Her previous anger had washed away with sorrow as she leaned over the table, trying to stifle her sobs. They came out as muffled hiccups as tears splashed on the table below.

As Yang cried, Ruby and Blake leaned over her in a warm embrace. Each girl covered her sides and wrapped her in a hug. Now, it was warm not from the previous rage, but overwhelming bonds.

Blake leaned down to connect her gaze with Yang's teary one, and she gave her a soft smile. "When she's ready, we'll be there for her."

Even as she cried there was still fire burning with passion in her heart. She had a promise to keep to Weiss. She was there for her. And she always will be.

"Yeah. We will."

* * *

 **Canon Weiss saying that she'd be there for Blake had me melting. So I switched characters!**

 **Lyrics are from the song Here by Amalee:**

" **I turn away from the truth that's in my way."**

 **This references the fact that the three hadn't brought it up until now and kinda kept the sight to themselves since no one knew what to do. The truth stared at them, but they turned away until now.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	31. That Was a Thing

Like an olympic runner, Ruby was a blur of red as she swirled within the forest.

Near a tree, Blake braced herself to absorb the force of her momentum. The red whirlwind spun rapidly and left a trail of rose petals in her wake. At full force, Ruby slammed into Blake.

Only, Blake faded away like she was never there.

Another clone?!

Before Ruby could react, the real Blake leapt out of a nearby bush and knocked her in the side. This caused Ruby to tumble to the ground as her speed decreased, eventually coming to a complete stop next to a tree trunk.

As Ruby was dazed, she noticed there were several glowing glyphs on the ground. This was her chance, so she rapidly stepped on them, and they led her to the top of that high tree. Before Blake could land another hit, Ruby was plummeting like a red meteor as she aimed her gun.

Ruby's plans were ruined when her gun was knocked out of her grasp by a fiery fist. "Wh-agh!"

"Sorry, Rubes!"

With a war cry, Yang bumped her sister off course before she could land a strike on the faunus. Blake used this as her chance to follow Yang, but a sudden glyph appeared by her feet. It was so quick that she had no time to react when Weiss kicked her, sending her tumbling to the ground.

This time, Blake didn't disappear, and Weiss couldn't help but smirk as the faunus rolled over with a frustrated grunt. Like she wasn't affected, the faunus stood and poised her katana at the shorter girl. Determined, Blake rushed her.

Knowing she was at a disadvantage in melee combat, Weiss hopped back several feet with the help of her glyphs.

"No you don't!"

"Yes I do!"

Before Weiss could gain more distance, Blake summoned two clones as the three encircled Weiss.

Now Weiss was trapped as the multiple faunus surrounded her. Before they could initiate any attack, Yang crashed into the ground just to the left of the real Blake that stood in the middle. Startled, the faunus stepped backward as the ground split from the impact. Dirt and debris skewered in all directions and created a dust cloud.

"Ugh…" Yang groaned as she forced herself to stand. "That was a cheap shot!"

A second later, Ruby appeared by Weiss' side in the circle of clones. "Not my fault I reacted faster!"

Despite Yang's pain, she grinned. "Your semblance is kick ass!"

Like a puppy, the sniper perked up. "You think so?"

Weiss nodded in affirmation. "It suits you. You're always energetic, so your semblance reflects that."

"It's not as cool as Blake's," Ruby's eyes twinkled as she stared at the triplets. "I want clones!"

Taking that as her cue, Blake called off her clones. The two vanished in thin air. It seemed like the sparring session was over, so there was no point in using them. Now that the threat was gone, Ruby and Weiss joined the other two.

Yang lightly chuckled. "I think the world can only handle one Ruby."

"Yaaaaang," Ruby cried out in excitement. "I wanna see your semblance!"

Yang placed her hands on her hips with the shake of her head. "No can do. I need to take lots of hits to be at full power. And I don't want to waste the flames."

"Aw."

"You'll see it eventually."

Weiss looked at Ruby, unamused. "It's the middle of the day, dolt. The flames are more captivating at night."

Sassily, Yang flipped her hair. "Right?"

It'd been a couple of months since Ruby and Blake had their auras unlocked. Since then, all four had trained tirelessly to grow stronger to hunt the relics. After the last failed mission, they were determined to never let that happen again. They were going to get that relic back if it was the last thing they did.

It didn't take Ruby long to discover her semblance. She got a caffeine high after school one day and began doing laps around the house as Blake and Yang watched in awe. Activating her semblance was natural for Ruby, and using it came easy. Like how a fish knows how to swim.

Since Weiss already had purification abilities, she assumed that was her semblance, but she was wrong. That was part of her since she was part angel and therefore, a priestess. When her and Ruby were walking around the school's courtyard, a flower pot fell out the window just above them. It would've landed on Ruby's head, but a glyph appeared and the pot shattered, sparing her some pain. It was pure luck that no one saw the supernatural display.

Meanwhile, Blake accidentally activated hers. One day, Yang thought it'd be a great idea to scare the bejesus out of her. After shrieking and on pure adrenaline, Blake summoned a clone to run away. Naturally, Yang called her a "scaredy cat" afterward. Imagine Yang's surprise when she suddenly saw two Blake's bolting down the hallway. Her jaw hit the floor for a solid two minutes. It took a bit for Blake to figure how to dismiss the clones, but she got the hang of it.

Since things had settled down and the guardians were still locating the next relic, all the four could do was train to prepare for whatever lied in store. As a precaution, the team had a new barrier bangle bracelet made for Weiss to wear. If something were to happen to the locket around her neck and the relics inside, that'd be a disaster.

Ruby glanced around to check her friends. All of them looked tired out. After using their semblances for the last hour, it was safe to say they were feeling the effects. Beads of sweat were on their faces as the cool breeze grazed their moist skin.

"Are we good for the day?" Ruby asked. "I still have to do homework."

"Dolt," Weiss mumbled. "Do your homework before training."

"Eheh," Ruby attempted a dry laugh as she collapsed the gun and placed it on her holster. "Sorry, I was just super excited. We haven't trained as a team for a couple of weeks. Solo training is fun and all, but with everyone it's more fun."

To stretch, Yang swung her arms around. "Yeah, I get that. I guess we should get going. Dad's gonna have dinner ready for us soon."

It was a good thing that Yang's home was already located a little away from civilization. The next house over wasn't for another few miles. This way, people who didn't know about this world wouldn't be exposed to it.

After collective nods, the four sheathed their weapons and turned on their heels to walk back home. Before they could advance a single step, the world shook violently. Several trees tipped over and crashed on the grass. The tremors were so savage that the group had to hold onto each other for dear life to not fall.

"Agh!" Ruby yelped.

Multiple pairs of arms wrapped around each other as the team formed a huddle. They constantly swayed, trying desperately to stand properly.

As the world trembled, Weiss felt her heart seize as the hands held her steady. It was like daggers shot up her spine and throughout her entire body. To ease the sudden agony, she placed a hand over her heart, hoping that'd deter it. It was painful, so painful that she froze in place. She was afraid to even breathe-

"Weiss!" Yang's urgent voice snapped her out of it. "Are you okay?"

The moment Weiss heard the blonde's voice, the pain ebbed away like it was never there. Weiss snapped back into reality, finding the previous pain odd, but accepted it as aura exertion and brushed it off.

"I'm fine!"

Before anyone could react, what looked like a the widest black hose whipped directly at the team. Hastily, Ruby lifted Blake and used her semblance to dodge the lethal thrash. Meanwhile, Yang picked up Weiss and jumped up high, landing safely in a nearby tree.

Blake and Ruby were at the bottom, Yang and Weiss stood at the top on one of the firm branches. The air was still as various leaves drifted down. For a moment, it was peaceful until there was a low hiss.

"We got company," Blake narrowed her eyes at the large black mass in the distance.

The slithering mass lurked around several trees as if it was examining its environment. Two heads were at the front. One black and the other white. The rest of the body was joined, and the end of the tail was the thicket section.

"W-what is that thing!?" Ruby yelped. "It looks like a snake!"

As Yang glared at the grimm, she yelled. "It's a king taijitu! It has two heads! Just don't cut any of 'em off! And be careful, it has huge fangs!"

The massive grimm circled around and took out several trees in its wake like they weren't even there. It was a domino effect as the heads approached rapidly. The beast hissed as the tongue spat out multiple times. The black, broad head adorned white, bony armor.

Already having a strategy, Ruby shouted. "Bumblebee!"

With fervent grins, Yang and Blake leapt from the tree before it was demolished by the thick black mass. Since the black head was closer, the pair focused on it while Ruby and Weiss distracted the white head.

With all her might, Blake flung Yang upward at the head. With a mighty roar, Yang cocked her fist back and landed a devastating blow. The force behind the punch was enough to dent the beast's jaw in. As Yang hopped away, Blake took her place and then sliced through the exposed fangs. Luckily, she had a clean cut since the snake was screeching in pain from the previous blow.

The taijitu thrashed around and let out another menacing hiss that vibrated the leaves. When one of the daggers called fangs landed on the grass, Yang hastily retrieved it and took cover for her next move.

Blake was about to get away, but the precise tail was quicker and rammed hardly into her side. This knocked the wind out of Blake as she yelped and flew away from her teammates. She crashed somewhere in the distance with a loud thud.

"Blake!" Yang called out in worry.

Luckily, snake's body headed the other way instead of finishing off the downed Blake. Ruby and Weiss were going a good job of distracting the white head. This gave Blake crucial time to gain her bearings.

Before the black head could strike at Weiss, who was busy with the white head, the slicing of a bullet pierced the air. Violent shrieks ensued as the snake squirmed, dazed from the bullet. Ruby landed a direct hit in one of its red eyes. The impact was so harsh that some blood leaked a red ooze from the orb.

With her glyphs, Weiss soared above the flailing white head. It was difficult, but she managed to thrust her rapier into the red mark that was painted like a target. It screamed 'weak point.'

However, continued to thrash wildly, so Weiss couldn't keep her balance and grip on her rapier. She and ended up being whipped off with a yelp. With her speed, Ruby caught her in midair and the two tumbled to the side, lucky that the snake was still dazed from being impaled.

Determined, Yang called over her shoulder. "Weiss! Now!"

Knowing what she wanted, Weiss formed a trail of glyphs up the uninjured black head. With the sharp fang, Yang leapt on the rough, slithery scales. With the trail of glyphs, she was propelled all the way of the grimm's side and flung high above the black head. As she plummeted, she looked like a burning meteor and she cocked the fang back before jabbing it into the red mark directly on the head.

In retaliation, the hissing snake jerked in spasms. This was more than enough to toss the brawler off the head as her arms flailed wildly. "W-woah!"

Like a fly, she was swatted and almost crashed into a tree, but Blake had used one of her clones to soar to her in time as she grabbed her from behind in mid air. Like the two were pests, they jammed into a thick tree that fell over from impact.

Multiple dazed groans ensued. This was followed by the shout of their names.

Angered, the sniper used her semblance to whirl upward like a red rocket. Her target was the white head that still had the rapier sticking up in it. As she glided in the air above the head, she twisted to the side and braced her feet.

Like a needle piercing skin, the thin sword sunk deeply into the head. Before the snake could even react, Ruby flipped off the head and aimed her gun in mid air, directly into the beast's shrieking mouth. In rapid succession, she fired bullets that whizzed inside. The result was exactly what she wanted. The white head went quiet and began to fade away.

The creature was so angry that its tail was like a train that stunned her when it collided into her midsection. The air was forced from her lungs as Ruby unceremoniously crashed to the ground with a grunt.

Instantly, Weiss rushed over to Ruby. "Ruby, Ruby?! Are you okay!?"

A groan. Ruby was trying to stir as her face flinched several times.

"Don't move," Weiss ordered softly. It didn't look like she was going anywhere, but she felt better saying it.

With a plan, the priestess rapidly approached the main body with her glyphs. All her friends were down, so it was up to her. Since her rapier was on the ground somewhere, Weiss had to directly touch the beast to activate her purification ability. This would drain her of any energy she had left, but it would be worth it if it meant her friends would be safe from this monster.

To focus, she jumped on top of the wiggling snake's tail. To her surprise, her white aura only flickered. Her purification abilities didn't activate. It was then that she realized this target was too big and she was too drained as she tried to drag a measly speck of aura out. Her adrenaline was what kept her fueled for so long.

She was in such haste to save her friends that she didn't think it through.

When she realized her purification wouldn't work, the black head loomed over her like a predator that targeted its prey. She let out a startled gasp-

\- And then she was safely in a pair of arms and flying away from the threat. She looked up to find a pissed off, yet concerned Yang.

"You idiot! What'd I tell you about doin' that!?"

Yang's yell snapped Weiss out of it. "It was the only way I could think of."

When they were a safe distance away, Yang lowered her to the ground. "Have a little faith in us, yeah?"

After that, the two focused on the black head that was lunging at a spastic Ruby. She was too fast for it to solidly land a hit when she was on the ground.

"I'm over here!" Ruby chirped, which caused the grimm to whip its head. She bolted several feet in another direction. She didn't care where she went as long as her team was out of harm's way. "Nope, I'm here!"

Irritated, the grimm wrapped its tail around the perimeter and effectively trapped her inside like a mouse. The muscly snake whipped around violently, causing resounding thuds to echo. Since the tail is the most sensitive part of that grimm's body, the moment it made contact with Ruby's red hood, it snatched her. Once she was firmly in its grip, it hissed in victory. Then constricted.

Before Ruby could register what was happening, she was being strangled as a gasp tore from her lungs.

"Ruby!"

Yang darted to her sister. However, Blake beat her to it as she flipped onto the beast's head. While Blake focused on ramming the fang deeper into its head, Yang wailed on its neck, hoping to weaken its strong muscles as her sister turned blue.

Every second that passed, Ruby's lungs grew desperate. Her teammates could hear the gasps for oxygen, which prompted them to work faster.

Precious air was forced out of her lungs and Ruby felt herself slowly suffocating. Thinking of a plan, Ruby tried to squirm out of the lethal grip, but each time she did, the tail tightened.

As its iron grip binded, all the energy was sapped from her body. She no longer even had the energy to breathe, finding it difficult. Ruby's vision blurred as the grasp on her gun loosened. She couldn't hold it for a second longer and it fell to the ground as she went limp.

Unable to watch any longer, Yang erupted into flames and continued to wail on the screeching grimm that refused to let go. Yang spared no scale as she desperately wailed on the neck and bony face. The final blow was when she pounded the sharp fang deeper into its head. Sensing Yang allowed anger to cloud her vision, Blake vaulted off and let her finish the job.

It didn't take long for the beast to stop moving and to start withering away into nothingness. Fortunately, Blake was there to catch the falling Ruby. While Yang calmed down, Blake gently set Ruby on the grass, shocked to find that her chest wasn't rising and falling.

"R-Ruby?!"

The urgent call of her name prompted Weiss and Yang to join the pair and kneel next to them.

"What's wrong?!" Yang asked, checking her downed sister over.

"S-she's not breathing!" Blake yelped. She placed a cat ear over the girl's chest, but her heartbeat was faint. If she hadn't concentrated she would've missed it. "She's alive but she can't breathe!"

"What?!"

A surge of panic surged within Blake. There's no way she'd let Ruby die. She couldn't imagine life without her. It was in that moment that she registered how much Ruby meant to her as she laid motionless on the forest floor.

She internally smacked herself for taking so long to realize how much her feelings for her grew these last few years.

"Okay, let's calm down," Weiss said levelly as the voice of reason. "Does anyone know CPR?"

Without hesitation, Blake leaned over Ruby as her lips captured her own. This caused azure and lilac eyes to widen from the sudden sight.

Blake was careful and gently pushed her own air into Ruby's lungs as they filled with oxygen. Yang and Weiss leaned back, watching the downed girl's chest rise. Several seconds passed in this manner, and all Blake wanted was to see those alluring silver pools again.

Now that Ruby was helpless and unmoving on the forest floor, Blake was overcome with so many emotions. She'd always known that she deeply cared for Ruby. But seeing her like this hit a pang in her heart. She didn't feel like she loved her in the family sense. No, this was a much more powerful prickle of emotion as their lips ensnared.

 _Wake up,_ Blake thought. _I'm not going to lose you, too!_

That's when she promised herself that when Ruby woke, she'd make her the happiest person in the world. Always.

Suddenly, Ruby groaned into her mouth, which came out muffled since their mouths were ensnared.

Thrilled, Blake pulled away with overbearing red on her cheeks. Ruby weakly coughed a few times as her teammates leaned over her and blocked the sun's rays. It took a few gasps, but eventually Ruby was breathing on her own again.

"Wha…" was all Ruby could mutter as silver eyes fluttered open.

"Welcome back," Weiss greeted softly.

Yang was more than relieved to see that she was okay. "Ruby!"

As the blonde helped coax her to sit up, the worried older sister placed a kiss on her ruffled hair. She was immensely proud of her sister for single-handedly taking out half of that king taijitu. That was her first real grimm fight, so these were great results. Ruby showed she was truly capable.

When she was fully upright, Ruby met Blake's concerned gaze. There was a hint of yearning in those pools of gold, which caused Ruby's lips to part slightly.

"Blake, are you oka-"

Ruby couldn't even finish her question. Blake was so touched that Ruby was worried about Blake's well-being rather than her own. She was unable to stop herself from capturing those soft lips with her own. Just like that, all of their worries were erased as they kissed. The only thing that mattered right now was each other.

With blushes, Yang and Weiss looked away to give them some privacy.

The two had waited what seemed like forever for this moment, but they didn't mind. As long as they were with each other. Their hearts were racing as the kiss continued like waves crashing on a beach. They simply melted into the heavenly contact.

Ruby almost couldn't believe this was actually happening, but was reassured it was when she kept tasting Blake. She tasted like sweet vanilla and it was intoxicating in the best way possible.

Each pair of lips were soft and Blake wasn't surprised at all to find that Ruby's lips tasted like strawberry.

After several moments, they hesitantly separated. Both girls were flushed crimson as silver and amber remained fixed on each other, unable to tear away.

"A-are you okay, Ruby?" was all Blake could think of to say.

Ruby was still in awe from the kiss. That sweet contact was what she yearned for so long. "I-I'm more than okay now!"

"U-um, so… it took you almost dying to make me realize that… I _really_ care about you… that I…"

"Want to be girlfriends?" Ruby finished softly for her.

Blake nodded with a timid smile. "Yeah, that."

Unable to help herself, Ruby pulled her in for a hug. Happily, Blake returned the embrace.

From the sweet scene, Yang and Weiss broke out into smiles.

"That was a thing."

* * *

 **Ladybug is together! Still got some things to resolve with dat freezerburn!**

 **Ah, ah, ahhhhh, I hinted at Weiss' glyphs in the chapter "We** _ **Fell**_ **For That One" they all have their semblances. Not the same weapons since this is a real life AU. And dust doesn't exist in case you haven't realized.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	32. The Greatest Team

After the fight with the massive overgrown snake, the team was more than excited to see that Taiyang had prepared food for their arrival.

The doting father was told that the four began to work out together, so when the girls came home utterly exhausted, he was prepared to cater to their needs.

"We're home~" Yang practically sang, causing her friends to wonder how she had that much energy.

When the door swung open, Zwei bolted to greet the arrivals. He was met with smiles, but they were timid. The white-haired girl didn't even have the energy to bend down to pet the eager corgi. Instead, there were multiple coos as the four rounded for the table. Zwei didn't seem bothered by this in the slightest as he dawdled behind the group.

From the sight of the table, the teams' mouths drooled. The table had already been set for four with iced water. In the center were multiple plates with chips and dip like rotel. The other plates included celery with ranch, apples, grapes, and strawberries.

"Dig in!" Taiyang encouraged with a grin. "It's important to eat after a good work out- oh my god Ruby! You look like hell!"

From his comment, Ruby gave him a knowing grin. The red-cloaked girl was covered in dirt and smudges from mud. Her team looked the same, but she was clearly more shaken than the rest. Possibly from almost dying a few minutes ago when she couldn't breathe.

Thankfully Blake was there. Ruby probably would've been dead by now if she didn't act fast.

Just thinking about what transpired caused her grin to grow and a blush to form. It was true that Ruby almost died, but she couldn't have been happier. Her and Blake finally confessed to each other. After all these years, Ruby convinced herself that Blake was only fond of her because they were practically sisters.

However, she was proven wrong the second their lips ensnared. Ruby recalled the moment fondly as butterflies fluttered in her stomach. A burst of emotion she'd never felt before washed over her when she thought about the kiss. The whole time, she felt like she was floating, and the surrounding air was sweet vanilla. The ethereal taste of Blake's lips.

"Don't worry, Dad," Ruby reassured with a thumbs up. "I'm more than okay thanks to her," to prove her point, the girl lovingly grasped Blake's hand.

The faunus' cheeks heated up from the contact as she curled her fingers around Ruby's own. Shyly, Blake glanced away from the multiple gazes.

"Wha…" was all Tai could mutter.

To answer the multiple questions her father might've had, Yang spoke. "They're a couple now. It's about time if you ask me."

Taiyang's mouth slightly parted. "What happened during your workout? Why does everything happen during your workouts?!" he didn't sound angry, more like confused and genuine.

Weiss let out a long sigh. "A lot."

"I can see that," Tai referred to Ruby and Blake holding hands.

"A-are you mad?" Ruby hesitantly asked. "I-"

"God no," Taiyang shot that thought down. "I've always thought about and dreaded the day I'd have to tell some boy to treat my daughters right. While I'm skeptical of your relationship, I'm by no means opposed," this caused multiple grins to break out. "I guess i just have to say treat each other right. Which I know you will, but I feel like I have to say it. You know, as a dad."

Since they weren't blood related, Tai saw no problem with the relationship. In fact, there was this inkling in him for all these years that'd been waiting for this moment.

Unable to help themselves, Blake and Ruby pulled Tai in for a hug. Little did he know, his blessing meant the world to the new couple. Since Tai wasn't expecting it, his hands hovered over their backs. As his daughters pressed against him, he grinned and returned the soft embrace.

"My girls…"

As they watched, Yang was holding Zwei in her lap and Weiss sat next to them at the table. All three adorned wide smiles from the sight. It was about time.

When the three separated, the ladybug pair joined the rest of the team at the table.

"Thanks for all this, Dad," Ruby chirped happily. "I'm starving!"

With that, the red-cloaked girl devoured a few strawberries. The girl next to her, Blake, went to town on a few grapes and some celery.

"It's chow time!" Yang announced as she munched on a cheesy chip. When Zwei eagerly sniffed the food, she asked. "You want some?"

A giddy yip.

To appease him, the blonde tossed a chip in the air and Zwei expertly caught it and munched greedily. This earned a giggle from Yang as she picked at some grapes.

While his daughters ate, Taiyang noticed that Weiss hadn't attempted to reach for any food. Instead, she kept her hands in her lap. To persuade her, Tai sauntered over and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"It's all yours."

"I don't want to impose-"

"You're not, Weiss. I made all this with you four in mind," Taiyang softly reassured. "In fact, I don't think they can finish all this. Even if they are vacuums."

Weiss lightly chuckled from that. "Thank you, Tai."

"Anytime."

With that, Tai retreated to the kitchen to clean the dishes. With permission, Weiss reached for several apple slices and grapes.

After Yang swallowed a large portion of strawberries, she beamed her a grin. "Isn't this the best?"

The corgi in Yang's lap looked at her, expectant.

The room was so warm and filled with bubbles. Ruby couldn't stop giggling when Blake wiped some ranch off the corner of her mouth and proceeded to lick it off her finger.

"It really is."

* * *

Out of boredom, Yang sent funny-looking faces at her teacher Ms. Goodwitch.

The professor was in the middle of teaching her students about translation and transcription when she glared at the smirking blonde.

Glynda made a valiant attempt to avoid eye contact with the irritating blonde. Yang had pulled this crap too many times to count. It was moments like this that made Goodwitch wish she could smack her student with her beloved broom. The thought of Yang struggling caused her to almost smile. It was a sight to behold.

Sensing that her teacher's eyes were wandering, Weiss simply looked to her right and frowned.

Yang was sticking her tongue out at the teacher like a five-year-old. This made Weiss subtly jab a pointy elbow in her stomach. There was a light grunt, which caused Goodwitch to mischievously smirk.

"Ow," Yang whispered. "What was that for?!"

Weiss playfully rolled her eyes, keeping her voice low. "For being a brute."

To get revenge, Goodwitch decided to finally call Yang out in front of the entire class on her bull crap.

"Ms. Xiao Long!" Glynda called sternly, which caused Yang to straighten up in her seat. Rarely did she call on Yang due to their past. "Is there anything you would like to add?" she pointed to the marker board for emphasis, which displayed an intricate diagram of the process she was trying to teach.

"O-oh uh… I actually have a question."

"Oh?"

In curiosity, Goodwitch crossed her arms as she waited for the question. Was Yang actually paying attention to the lecture? Or was this some sort of challenge?

"About the alleles," Yang clarified, which caused her friends to look at her expectantly. "If a mutation occurs, does that mean it'd also affect eye color? Like one brown eye and the other's blue?"

Glynda was obviously taken aback by that. Never in a million years did she think Yang could _ponder_ something. Especially a question like that. She thought she'd hurt herself in the process.

"That's a really good question, Ms. Xiao Long," the professor had to admit. "However, the simple answer is no. That is a different process that we will cover next week."

"Oh, cool," was all the blonde said in response.

Now that that was settled, Glynda went back to teaching, making more marks on the diagram as she explained the process in specific detail.

"Go Yang…" she heard Ruby whisper behind her.

It didn't take long for the class to end after that. About five more minutes and the bell rang. The rest of the students cleared out since they had other classes to be and only five minutes to get to them. Since team RWBY had a free period, they packed their things and lingered behind.

While Ms. Goodwitch resided at her desk examining her computer, she heard Yang ask.

"Ms. Goodwitch, what was that about?"

Glynda heavily sighed and closed out of the tab as she stood. "Don't act like you didn't see that coming. I was simply tired of your crap."

Yang shrugged in understanding. "It was long overdue."

Glynda lightly chuckled. "I admit your question was a nice save."

"Eh, it was on my mind for a bit," Yang casually replied. "I just used it as my chance."

Truthfully, Yang had a back up question for every unit in case something like that were to happen. Being called out was nerve wracking enough, but being prepared certainly came in handy. Especially when you're friends with a teacher.

After Glynda gathered her papers, she walked over to the door and stared at the four girls. "What does team RWBY plan on doing now?"

The teammates glanced amongst themselves. Now was their free period, so they had about an hour to do as they pleased.

Weiss broke the silence. "May we join you in the teacher's lounge?"

Glynda gave her a respective nod. "Of course, Ms. Schnee. So long as you behave yourselves," she stated, looking directly at Yang.

"Why're you lookin' at me!?"

Blake playfully placed a hand on the blonde's back. "We'll keep her under control."

Yang huffed. "Don't make it sound like I'm some rabid animal!"

"Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy," Ruby was practically bouncing up and down. "We get to go back to the magical land!"

"Settle down, dolt."

With that, Glynda left the room and headed for the teacher's lounge. The four girls obediently followed. By now, most of the students had made it to their respective classrooms, so the halls were mainly vacant.

The moment they stepped inside, the pleasant aroma of coffee lingered in their noses. Confidently, Goodwitch sat on the couch next to Ozpin, who sipped on his green mug.

After Ozpin swallowed the warm liquid, he spoke. "Welcome ladies."

"Don't be too friendly," Goodwitch replied with an irritated voice. "They gave me a hard time today."

Unamused, Weiss placed her hands on her hips. "'We?'"

"Yang," Goodwitch corrected herself.

"Uh, whatever," was all Yang had to say.

From the team's presence, professor Port, who had been in the corner at the vending machine until now, gasped.

The light gasp caught everyone's attention.

Weakly, Yang waved at him. "Uh, hi professor!"

Without a word, Port briskly walked out of the lounge. It was clear that he was avoiding Yang and Weiss as he pushed passed the team, not even attempting to make eye contact and keeping his head dipped.

When the door shut, Ruby exclaimed in exasperation. "He's _still_ afraid of you guys?"

After Ms. Goodwitch crossed her legs, she sighed. "I tried to convince him that you two aren't psychopaths," she stared at the white-haired girl and blonde and paused. "At least not entirely."

"Hey!" Weiss stomped her foot on the ground.

Multiple snickers rang out. Seeing as how they were just blocking the door, Ruby and Yang went over to join their professors on the soft couches. There was a table in the center of the sofas, where Ozpin's mug rested.

Ruby sat on the same couch as the headmaster, but kept a respectable distance from him as she spoke. "I'm convinced all you do here is drink coffee."

Ozpin let out a small chuckle and said nothing. He didn't deny it.

Meanwhile, Blake stood in front of the coffee machine that was still steaming. She was so intrigued by it, it was hard to miss as Weiss joined her side.

"Wait a moment."

After rummaging around the cabinets, Weiss found the mug with a snowflake plastered on it. Without a word, Weiss filled it with coffee and handed the warm mug to her friend.

"Here, it's washed," she offered.

Perturbed, Blake gazed at it. The mug was light blue and adorned a snowflake. To make sure Weiss actually kept her own mug in the teacher's lounge, she asked. "It's yours?"

"Can't you tell?"

Weiss sent her a small smirk as Blake simply shrugged and sipped on the coffee. "Thanks, Weiss."

"No problem."

With that, the two joined their friends on the couches. Each person had a decent amount of space between them as the chime of the clock ticked. The atmosphere was relaxed as Ruby constantly swung her legs back and forth, her eyes filled with wonder.

Ruby kept her gaze firmly on Ozpin, curiosity twinkled in those silver eyes. "What were the dinosaurs like?"

Blake almost did a spit take. Ozpin set his mug on the table in front of them and gave Ruby a puzzled expression.

Yang's jaw dropped as she stared at her sister. "How old do you think he is!?"

"You just said thousands of years!" Ruby justified. "You never clarified!"

Yang heavily sighed. "Even he doesn't know his exact age."

Instead of being offended, Ozpin casually sipped his coffee. "I'd imagine they'd be quite the spectacle, Ms. Rose. However, I can assure you I'm no fossil."

All Weiss could do was roll her eyes. "Such a dunce."

There was a pregnant pause as the teasing comment lingered. Ozpin clearly stiffened as reality set in when he gazed at the team in front of him. It was nice to enjoy small breaks like these, but Ozpin couldn't bite back the apology.

"I'm sorry about Mercury and Emerald."

Yang groaned in annoyance. "For the last time, it's okay."

By this point, he apologized what felt like a million times for his negligence.

"Yeah, headmaster," Ruby agreed with a nod. "No one's perfect. How were you supposed to know that a couple of your students were secretly working for a demon?"

"Hm," Glynda scoffed bitterly. "If anyone should've noticed, it should have been me. I taught them. I was their teacher."

Blake shook her head, feeling that they too were partially to blame. "That may be, but they were our classmates."

Weiss kept her chin up in defiance. "We interacted more with them than either of you have. Don't blame yourselves."

Yang casually leaned back on the sofa. "Let's just agree that we're all at fault."

Multiple sad smiles.

"Anyways," Yang continued with a lighter tone. "We have other things to worry about. Is there any news on the next relic?"

"Not yet," Glynda shook her head. "This has been the hardest to locate yet. I will update you as soon as we know its whereabouts."

The blonde gave her a thumbs up. "Sounds good, Glyn."

From the prospect of the next mission, spirits were lifted. Now that the team was more prepared, they were determined to make the next relic retrieval a success. Rather than a failure like last time.

Ruby pumped her fist in the air as she jumped from her seat. "The greatest team's got this!"

All Weiss did was smirk from the girl's giddy declaration. Yang joined her and triumphantly pumped her fist while Blake simply nodded with a smile.

Ozpin and Glynda glanced amongst each other, glad that these four were the perfect team for the job.

* * *

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	33. The Half Demon

The room was relatively quiet aside from the ticking of the clock.

Out of boredom, the half-demon conjured up a black scorpion in the center of the red room. She leaned forward on the bed to inspect the result. It was a cloudy mini deathstalker. One that shrieked and raised its pincers when it was created from nothing.

The woman would have made this grimm a lot bigger, however, she preferred not to destroy the room. She fiddled with a shard of the relic as her creation lurked across the white carpet.

Across from her was Emerald, who marveled at the spectacle. From the tiny grimm's sudden screech, Mercury stopped doing his push ups to inspect the creature.

The two minions leaned forward, and Mercury looked to his superior.

"Permission to hold it, my lady?"

"Granted."

With a smirk, Mercury held out his hand so the little scorpion could climb on. The grimm crawled into his gentle, yet rough palms as he held it up, still fascinated.

The deathstalker's multiple red eyes pierced through the atmosphere. The top of its body was a soft white plate that was developing to become strong armor. The underside was pitch-black as it scampered over his palm.

It wasn't often that his master summoned baby grimm. Normally, they were a force to be reckoned with. Even though this was a creepy crawler, Mercury found it adorable as he lightly touched its back that had tiny plates of armor.

The little scorpion was feisty as it raised its pincers. It tried to pinch the boy, but the supposedly vicious clamp just tickled his fingers.

With a smile, Emerald gazed at the woman. "It's very impressive, my lady."

"Hardly," Cinder dismissed. "Something like that serves no purpose."

A small, weak creature at the mercy of others. Luckily for it, Mercury had no intention of destroying the grimm. He was having too much fun twiddling it.

 _Her ideals haven't changed_ , Emerald thought. _The weak deserve to die and the strong live._

That's why ever since _that day,_ Emerald pondered why the half-demon saved her. If Cinder truly lived by those words, wouldn't she have just let her die? It would've been easy.

Back when Emerald lived in the slums, she barely survived. She had no one to rely on. No parents or siblings. Just herself and her instincts. One fateful day, her semblance had failed to work from exertion, and she was caught stealing a measly loaf of bread.

She was chased down by an angry group of people, beaten, and left for dead as the rain poured. She was just a little girl, but there was no mercy as she laid there helpless and shivering in the alley way.

Emerald laid there for what felt like hours. Her entire body trembled from strain, and her stomach howled in agony. If she didn't freeze to death in her tattered clothing, she'd certainly die of starvation. It'd been a solid week since she had any real food. She'd been living off scraps and finally grew desperate enough to steal.

Her body turned numb, and she eventually closed her eyes, waiting for merciful death.

But it never came.

Instead, a random woman appeared in her vision. She adorned short black hair, and a cold, yet warm yellow gaze as she stared down at the child. Emerald had no energy to even speak. All she could do was lay there as her stomach rumbled.

Since it was loud, her savior heard what ailed the girl.

Without hesitation, Cinder gave her some of her own bread. She took her time with her. She was nurturing like when a mother cares for her child. Since Emerald had no energy to even move, she chewed and swallowed what she could.

When she was safe for the time being, Cinder brought her to her own home and healed her. The recovery process took several days, but the older woman was patient. Her savior provided her with food, water, and shelter until Emerald felt somewhat healthy again.

When Emerald was fully healed, she followed Cinder like she was the mother duckling. There was no way Emerald was going to leave her after that.

She owed her _everything._

Emerald should've died that day.

What made her so special? Why'd Cinder save her? What compelled her to do such a thing if she lives by the weak dying and the strong living? It was a harsh motto, one Cinder proved to live by time and time again.

Truthfully, Emerald followed her savior to find the answers that still left her clueless to this day.

When Mercury was done fiddling with the small grimm, he set it on the white carpet. "Go on, little guy."

Carefully, the little black scorpion creeped away from his grasp. It waddled around for a bit, and when it was comfy, remained still on the soft carpet. Its red eyes glowed as the dark mass clouded over its form.

Seeing that was enough, Cinder set the relic on her nightstand and stood from the bed. With grace, she sauntered to the center of the room next to the mini grimm. It didn't even flinch from her presence, like it trusted her.

As her followers watched, Cinder lifted her heel and crushed the tiny grimm. A resounding shriek and cracks rang out as the scorpion withered away. The half-demon could've easily dismissed it with the snap of her finger, but there was something about feeling- _hearing_ \- the crunch and screech. It was just too satisfying. It was a sweet melody to her ears.

Emerald looked away as the cloud of darkness rose. "So gross."

Honestly, Mercury was bummed out by the display. He was starting to like the mini grimm, but knew he couldn't keep it forever.

Noticing he looked upset, Cinder said softly. "Come now, Mercury. Don't be upset. I can make you another."

This was nothing new to him, so he brushed it off. If she conjured up another scorpion, she'd just crush it again like the others. As much as he loved the thrill of a fight, harming little creatures was nothing short of sadistic to him.

"It's alright, my lady," Mercury replied with a feigned smirk. "You shouldn't waste your powers on me."

With arrogance, Cinder placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "Such a nice boy," with that, she returned to her bed and began toying with the relic- her prize- again. Ever since she stole it, she never let the treasure out of her sight.

From the simple exchange, Emerald frowned as envy welled-up in her chest.

Like normal, Mercury went back to doing push ups out of boredom. Cinder clearly hadn't changed since the day he met her. The brutality was what drew him to her.

 **I want to be strong.**

To get away from his abusive father, Mercury resolved that the only way to escape was to kill him. A massive fight broke out, which led to the front yard. There were no neighbors, so no one heard the grunts of anguish, cries, or the yelps.

Bones broke and snapped. Blood was spilled, and before Mercury realized it, his father was about to land the killing blow. All Mercury could do was crawl back with terror as his father loomed over him like a hungry predator.

Before the bigger man could stab his chest, he froze in place and dropped the butcher knife. His hands trembled like he didn't know what to do with them. His breaths become needy and weak as he tried to stop the blood from gushing. Before he could do anything, he was forcefully pushed to the ground. The sound of a knife ripping from skin tore out.

As Mercury glanced up to see what happened, there was a random woman standing in front of him. The woman he came to know as Cinder saved his life. Not too far away was a green-haired girl, who watched with vigilant eyes. Like she thought the battered boy would attack her master.

Few words were exchanged as Mercury explained the situation.

Since his legs were broken, Mercury required assistance. Emerald wasn't too happy about helping him, but Cinder snapped at her, telling her that he'd be an asset.

When Mercury was fully healed, Cinder offered him to follow her. Although, she was certain what his answer would be. He saw no reason not to. There was no one in his life that cared about him.

But Cinder cared enough to save him from his abusive father. When his father was on the ground and gasping for air, Cinder completely ignored him and even smirked as she did so.

That mere gesture alone was more than enough to let him know that he made the right decision in following her. She had no tolerance for trash.

Reluctantly, Mercury looked up at his master, who was tossing the shard like a coin. "My lady, if you don't mind me asking, what is the next step?"

"Patience is a virtue, Mercury," Cinder's natural yellow eyes swirled with flames as she gripped the relic. "For now, enjoy yourself. We'll make our next move soon."

Mercury seemed to accept that, not wanting to question her any further. He didn't want to push his luck. Sometimes, she'd have a temper, and he couldn't tell if she'd yell at him right now if he pressed.

However, Emerald had less fear than him. Cinder tempted to show slight favoritism toward her. Although they both took multiple tongue lashes from her about equally.

 **I want to be feared.**

"My lady," Emerald properly addressed. "Do you happen to know where the next relic is located?"

Instead of answering, Cinder placed a hand on her chin. It didn't take long for a frown to form. This caused Emerald to lean back submissively. Maybe that wasn't the right thing to ask. Her superior seemed to be in a sour mood.

That question made Cinder grip the shard even tighter as it warped to an eerie black.

It didn't take her mind long to trail to the annoying children they encountered in the cave.

The priestess.

Subconsciously, Cinder grasped her arm like it was still throbbing in pain.

That damned white light.

It was a short, quick light that struck the half-demon to her very core. It was a measly, tiny beam, but it was enough to knock the half-demon off her feet. It was infuriating that a child could even _think_ of inflicting pain on her, but to do it without fear? Unacceptable.

Those words echoed in her mind after that encounter. Yes, they were successful. They stole one of the pieces of the relics. However, this didn't come without humiliation. In front of her followers, the half-demon was reduced to a mere pest.

It was all because of that _damned_ priestess!

What really ate at Cinder was that she knew _exactly_ who the priestess was. The girl looked like a replica of the angel she'd killed over a decade ago.

That priestess had to be the baby that was thrown out the window. The same baby that snuck away with one of the relics. The same baby that emitted that white light all those years ago.

Even though it was so many years ago, Cinder recalled the pain clear as day. It was agony, seeping into her very soul that ate her from the inside out.

All her hard work and years of frustration went to waste the very moment the priestess fell.

She'd lived long enough. She was _done_ being considered a half-breed. Only half demon. She was ready to claim what was hers. The relic, so she could become a full fledged demon. To gain more power.

But fate had other plans.

The fight with Ozpin was suddenly worthless when the relic shattered into five pieces. It was then that Cinder set out to find the five total pieces. Only to meet her loyal minions along the way. They made the search a little easier, but it was still frustrating to locate any of the shards.

When they found Willow's, it was a breakthrough. Until the stubborn angel retaliated and made the ultimate sacrifice.

With resolve, Cinder tightened her hold on the shard as it ominously flickered black.

"My hard work will not go to waste."

 **I want to be powerful.**

* * *

 **Some info on our fave villains!**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	34. I Have a Plan

Since it was chilly outside with the calm breeze, team RWBY decided to go to a coffee shop instead of the normal ice cream parlor.

After school, they planned on going as a team. However, Jaune caught wind of their plans when Ruby spoke a little too loudly. Not wanting to be rude, they let Jaune come along and he invited his three other friends.

When eight people sauntered in the quaint coffee shop, the owner behind the counter was taken aback by the large, rowdy group. The door hadn't even shut when Yang and Nora got into a shouting match.

"You can not!" Yang exclaimed.

"Can too!" Nora fired back.

"Can not!"

"Can too!"

Being the mediator, Ruby got in between the two and separated them. They were getting too close for comfort and things might escalate to physical contact if someone didn't intervene.

"Would you guys shut up?" Ruby suggested calmly. "We haven't even gotten to our seats yet!"

"But she-h-hey!" Yang couldn't even finish her sentence as Weiss dragged her away to a larger table that had plenty of seats for the group.

"Come on, brute," Weiss irritatingly mumbled as she more or less forced Yang to sit.

Like a frustrated puppy, Yang wrinkled her face in displeasure. Although, she didn't mind the shorter girl's touch at all. The rest of her friends joined at the table and took their seats, trying to be less loud. There weren't many people in this place, and they didn't want to draw attention to themselves as they tended to do.

Nora giggled when she noticed Yang huffed. "What's the matter? Are you mad?"

"Only cuz'a the crap you were spewin' earlier," the blonde replied levelly.

Nora looked like she took offense to that. "I can too put my whole fist in my mouth!"

To prove her point, Nora attempted to shove her whole fist in her mouth. She almost succeeded, however, her thumb was sticking out. This proved Yang's point of her not being able to properly do it. There was Yang's signature smug grin as she pointed at the orange-haired girl.

"See?! You can't do it."

Nora was trying to retort, but she literally ate her words and they came out incomprehensible like some drowning chicken. It looked painful for her lips and mouth stretched beyond the limits. It looked like she'd dislocate her jaw any moment. Having enough, Ren lowered her arm to get her slimy hand out of her mouth.

"Nora, please," Ren said, almost begging. "That's not sanitary."

"You saw me do it that one time," Nora reminded.

"Yes," Ren admitted softly. "It was one time."

Nora crossed her arms in triumph as she gazed at Yang.

"That proves nothing," the blonde stated, unimpressed.

"Ren wouldn't lie," Nora pointed out with an amused grin.

Done with the trivial argument, Yang sighed heavily as she placed a hand on her forehead like she was getting a headache. "Whatever. I'm done. I give in."

"Yes!" Nora cheered with glee like she won the small quarrel.

To comfort the sighing Yang, Weiss placed a hand on her back. "Sometimes it's best to let things go."

Yang gave her a small smile as she blushed from the contact. "You're tellin' me."

There was a random short snort that was from Ruby, who only snorted when she laughed _really_ hard. She was giggling so much that her sides hurt from something Blake had said. From Ruby's silly reaction, Blake joined in and snickered lightly. The couple was giggling like school girls as they held hands. They haven't been able to separate from each other.

It was relieving to see that they were acting like their usual selves in public. Since becoming a couple, there'd been nothing but giggles, grins, and warm hearts.

Interested, Yang leaned in. "What're you laughin' at, Rubes?"

Ruby fake wiped a tear. "Just something Blake told me about catnip."

A blonde eyebrow raised. "Now I gotta know."

Teasingly, Blake flailed her hands in front of her face. "I-it was nothing! Ruby, you can't tell anyone!"

Jokingly, Yang smirked at the faunus. "Aw come on, it can't be that bad."

Weiss had to admit, she was curious as well. Especially since she knew the effects that catnip has on cats. Although, she was interested in the effect it would have on cat faunus if that was the embarrassing story Blake was referring to.

Ruby whispered loudly. "There may have been balls of yarn involved."

Just from that piece of information, Yang chuckled.

"I betcha-"

"Welcome to Brewing. How may I take your order?"

The large group had been so invested in the conversation that they failed to notice the waiter come over. When they were done ordering, the polite man jotted on his notepad.

"Will this be separate or together?"

From the mere question, various fingers flew to individual noses. The members glanced around to single out which poor soul failed to do so in time.

Unfortunately for them, Ruby and Blake had been too busy to notice the lightning round of Nose Goes.

There was a long silence to see who in the couple would realize the horrible mistake first.

After Blake giggled, she finally looked over to realize that she lost. She wasn't going to try to beat her girlfriend. The last thing she wanted was to stick her with the expensive check, so she sighed in defeat.

To her friends' credit, they didn't even order that much. Just simple small coffee.

Nora cheekily grinned. "Looks like you're paying."

Pyrrha mouthed at her faunus friend. "Sorry."

After a heavy sigh, Blake pulled out some cash from her black purse. However, Ruby's hand stopped her from giving it to the patient waiter.

"I'll pay," Ruby offered with a smile.

"No, you're not-"

"Hey," Yang sternly chimed in and stared directly at Jaune, putting him on the spot. "I say you pay."

"What?!" Jaune exclaimed as everyone stared at him, confused. "Why me?!"

Yang replied without missing a beat. "You invited yourself."

"What?!" Jaune repeated, just as confused as before. "But you said it was fine if I came along!"

Yang casually leaned back in her chair. "We enjoy your company and all, but this was originally team hangout time."

Clearly, Jaune was skeptical from how she phrased it. "Team?"

From the mention of the word 'team', RWBY broke out into smiles.

"Ah, forget it," the blonde waved off as she grinned widely at her teammates. "You got this or what?"

"No way!" Jaune replied defensively.

From the beginning of time, they'd always settled the bill with a game of Nose Goes. The rules were simple. The last person to place their finger on their nose pays the bill. Although now he felt guilty for intruding.

Yang gave him a deadpan expression as she raised her hand to put it to a vote. Everyone except Pyrrha raised their hands, which caused the waiter let out a stifled chuckle. His eyes clung to the pouting boy, and he wrote on his notepad.

"I'll be back with your orders."

With that, the waiter grabbed their menus and retreated behind the counter at the front of the shop.

"Uh," Jaune groaned with his head in his hands. "This blows."

"I'm sorry, Jaune," Pyrrha apologized as she pat him on the back.

"It wasn't your fault, Pyr," Jaune soothed with a smile. "It was me and my bad manners."

"Cheer up, vomit boy," Yang chimed. "Hopefully you won't have to pay next time. That is, if you don't lose Nose Goes."

Jaune smirked as he stared at the smug Yang. "I'll get ya next time."

"Heh," the blonde huffed. "I look forward to it."

The group of friends shared light giggles from the verbal beat down. When the laughter died down, the friends went back to regular conversation.

Just after she was done laughing, Weiss found that her voice was caught in her throat. It was so sudden, but she felt her heart seize in her chest. It was agony that crept into her very soul that ate her from the inside out.

All she could do was casually, yet forcefully dip her head so her friends couldn't see her pain-ridden expression. From the pain, she froze in place as her blood boiled like it was about to overflow. She was afraid to move, fearing that'd make the suffering worse.

She recalled this feeling. It happened right before that king taijitu appeared.

 _It's happening… again?_

It was like thousands of needles pierced her skin and shot down her spine. It was excruciating, and all she could do was hope that no one heard the tiny whimper. She forced herself to stop from crying out.

She was afraid to breathe-

A hand was placed on her shoulder. "Weiss?"

Just like before, the pain slithered out of her body as quickly as it appeared. From the small contact and concerned call from Yang's voice, Weiss found the courage to meet her lilac gaze.

It took all her willpower to not stammer. "Yes?"

"Your coffee's here. You feelin' okay? You look kinda pale."

Like she was in a daze, Weiss glanced down at the table. Sure enough, there her mug was. Steaming in front of her as Yang watched her in confusion with curiosity.

 _Since a king taijitu appeared before this happened last time, does that mean any grimm are nearby? Can I sense grimm?_

To check, the priestess glanced around the little shop. There were a few people on their laptops, and most of the place was vacant. The only notable people here was her large group of friends. The staff was cleaning the tables that were empty.

To make sure there was positively no grimm, she glanced out the window that was to her left. A few tiny birds flew by. The sun was shining. Everything was perfectly normal. In fact, it was a really nice day.

"I'm okay," Weiss replied, although she was uncertain of her words. "I'm just excited for coffee is all."

From Yang's saddened expression, she clearly didn't buy the excuse. However, she didn't want to pressure her into the real reason with this many people around. It was clear she was uncomfortable, so instead, Yang went along with it and noted to question her later.

Casually, Yang shrugged in feign agreement. "We all know you need your fix."

Appreciating that Yang could read her, Weiss smiled at her. _Thank you, Yang._

All Yang did was nod. _You're welcome, Weiss._

While her friends talked, Weiss was left to ponder.

 _Is it exertion? It couldn't have been, could it? I feel fine aside from the pain just now. That's why I thought the first episode occurred. We'd just finished training so that was the logical explanation._

The priestess sipped on her coffee while in deep thought.

 _What is wrong? I should figure this out before I worry Yang. If pinpoint the problem, I'll know a solution, so that would ease her nerves._

With that plan in mind, Weiss went back to conversing as normal.

* * *

The students in the classroom were silent as Ms. Goodwitch continued with the lecture.

This time, Yang didn't goof off. Instead, she chose to surprise the teacher by taking notes. Now and then, Yang decided to show some respect. No matter how often the two were at each other's throats. In the classroom, she had to at least act like her normal student.

Maybe last time Yang learned her lesson. She didn't like the idea of being called out again. She had no question as a backup for the complicated diagram on the monitor. And she had a light grasp on the complicated concept the professor was trying to teach.

The only noise that lingered was Glynda's voice as she pointed to the diagrams. Students were constantly taking notes and using multicolored pens to copy the picture to study later. Some lines were color coded in purple and red to simplify the scientific process they'd be tested on eventually.

When Glynda was done explaining, she lifted her head to meet the various eyes on her.

"Now that we've covered the DNA codons, can anyone tell me which mRNA makes up Leucine?"

Instantly, Weiss' hand shot up.

Glynda didn't expect anyone to raise their hand. Much less so quickly. "Yes, Ms. Schnee?"

"UUA, UUG, CUU, CUC CUA, and CUG," she answered concisely like it was rehearsed.

Ms. Goodwitch blinked twice. Any students that had been paying attention were stunned into silence. There was no notebook on Weiss' desk, so she didn't use anything as a reference. She'd clearly memorized it.

Glynda was expecting one of those answers. Not all six. She purposely worded her question like there was only one answer so her students would feel less intimidated to answer in front of the class. She even told the class that only one of the six would be an acceptable answer on the next test, and that knowing all of them wasn't required.

"Damn, princess..." Yang mumbled under her breath.

Blake's cat ears flicked. Based on Glynda's reaction, her friend nailed it. "Nice…"

"That's my Weissy," Ruby lowly whispered to the left of her.

From the answer, Ms. Goodwitch almost smiled. "That's correct. Very good, Ms. Schnee," she nodded in approval, still in shock. She shouldn't have been so surprised. The white-haired girl had nearly perfect grades in her class.

Before the professor could write the reply on the whiteboard, there was an ear-piercing screech that was slightly muffled due to it resonating from outside.

Barely, Blake's cat ears flickered from the air wave vibrations. Something outside- something strong- was beating gravity into submission as she glanced out the window.

There was a speck of black mass that peaked through, but it was going too fast to register exactly what it was.

From the high-pitched screech, Glynda unintentionally flinched. Since the shrieks didn't stop, team RWBY covered their ears. The shrieks were similar to nails clawing a blackboard, which caused them to cringe.

It looked as though the rest of the students were confused from the teacher's sudden jump. No one else could hear it.

That meant only one thing.

The intercom dinged, and it was Ozpin's voice. Goodwitch stared up at the ceiling.

"Glynda-"

"I know."

With that, the intercom cut off and Goodwitch gave team RWBY a knowing nod. This was what Yang dubbed 'the bro nod.'

Having not expecting the events, the team processed the signal. It was clear what they had to do. Especially when Ozpin felt the need to interrupt their class.

Taking that as her cue, Ruby stood confidently. Since she was in the front row, all eyes landed on her. Not wanting her to be in the spotlight alone, Yang stood as well. It didn't take long for Blake and Weiss to follow as the four headed to the door.

From watching the four students leave, multiple whispers lingered.

Some curious student asked the teacher. "Why do they get to leave?"

"They're going to bring me some materials."

"Four people are needed for that?"

"There're lots of materials, Lark!"

That was a clever excuse Goodwitch gave the class as the door shut. The team briskly walked down the vacant hallway with a purpose.

As Blake walked next to Yang, she asked. "What're we dealing with?"

"It sounded like a nevermore," Yang observed as another squall pierced the air. She was surprised no windows had shattered. "It's way too close to the school if it's this loud."

Ruby walked in the center and she grinned. "Let's take it down, team."

Instead of being eager, Weiss was irritated. To show her displeasure, she scowled. "Headmaster said this wouldn't happen again. I don't want to miss class."

"To be fair," Yang began in a bargaining tone. "He said it was unlikely to happen again. He didn't guarantee anything."

The priestess heavily sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "He's sly with phrasing."

Blake smirked at her annoyed friend. "Let's make this quick."

"Couldn't agree more."

In no time, the team gathered in front of Ruby's locker. It was a good thing they were prepared for this. On the bottom of her locker and under Ruby's jacket was a big red and black duffel bag. It was heavy as Ruby swiped the bag and threw it around her back. After she shut her locker, the team headed for the exit.

Inside the red and black bag were the weapons. Ruby's sniper rifle, Weiss' rapier, Blake's katana, and Yang's brass knuckles all fit inside. There'd be chaos if the girls were caught carrying any of these on school grounds. To avoid another 'Port' incident, they decided to shove their weapons all in one place. Hiding the weapons was more beneficial and wouldn't draw attention.

At least the headmaster allowed them to have weapons on school property and was aware of it. Otherwise, they'd be expelled or much worse. They could hear Taiyang's concerns already.

More screeches. The air around them rippled and vibrated.

The nevermore was dangerously close. Innocent lives would be in danger of the looming threat if the team didn't do something. That's why, to protect their friends, the team was willing to put their lives on the line.

Blake's cat ears flicked wildly like they were having a field day. The violent propulsions smacked against the roof like the grimm was circling above the school.

"Anyone have any bright ideas? It sounds like the grimm is just outside."

Ruby let out a confident huff as she patted the bag on her back.

"Don't worry. I have a plan."

* * *

 **The topics I have Glynda cover are the things I'm learning in my Biological Anthropology class. It's mostly review for me, but I can use the concepts in fanfiction so it looks like I know wtf I'm talking about.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	35. Take Aim and Hit the Mark

"Only you would think of something like this."

Besides the overgrown seeping mass in the sky that was screaming bloody murder, it was a peaceful day. Too bad the grimm had to interrupt their studies. Now the team had no choice but to fulfill their otherworldly duties.

Inside a sparkling glyph was Ruby as she smiled knowingly at her white-haired teammate. To get in a comfortable position, Ruby wiggled, striving for a proper hold on her gun. The dazzling glyph that held her place in mid-air was stable as she adjusted herself inside.

Behind the plotting duo was Blake and Yang, who could only wait for them to initiate the plan.

The massive, screeching nevermore was soaring just above the outskirts of the Emerald Forest. It'd been making its rounds and gliding back and forth almost lazily. Like it had no clear destination. It wasn't bothering anyone… yet.

It was way too close to the school for comfort. Only about a mile away. Earlier, the nevermore even soared above the building, almost using it as a perch.

Last time the team faced a nevermore, it happened to be grounded when approached. This one wouldn't stay still like it was circling prey. Since it was so different than the last one, a new, hopefully effective strategy was formed by Ruby.

Several thousand feet away from the threat, stood the team. They didn't take their eyes off the overwhelming black mass in the sky that silhouetted against the burning sun.

"You know," Weiss began in an amused tone. "When Yang and I defeated our first nevermore, things were a little more civilized."

Ruby smiled at her friend, who had a determined spark in her eyes. "Think you can you make the shot?"

"Hm," the priestess scoffed confidently. "Can I?"

Ruby quirked an eyebrow. "Can you?"

"Of course I can!"

Eager and worried about what was to come, Yang pressed the video tab on her phone. "This is so going to Goodbitch," she tapped the button and when it turned red, she announced. "Now, princess!"

With that as her cue, Weiss aimed her rapier and pointed it at the sky. She'd been studying the nevermore's movements, so she aimed Ruby where she predicted the target would be by the time Ruby reached it.

She took aim…

In determination, she narrowed her pale blue eyes and released Ruby like a bow and arrow.

It was an elegant and beautiful shot, perfectly executed. The white and red swirled together like ice cream as Ruby rocketed at the speed of light. The human bullet became a light red blur against the calm blue sky. To gain more momentum, Ruby barrel rolled as she soared, which created a red whirlwind. Expertly, she whizzed in a direct path at the screeching grimm.

The moment Ruby shot off, Weiss summoned dozens of glyphs that trailed along the forest floor. She and her teammates hopped on, darting after Ruby. They had to catch up to her in time before Ruby could land. Otherwise, the carefully thought out plan would be for naught.

As the three glided along the forest floor, they watched Ruby careen into the massive grimm. Ruby was like a red bullet as she pierced its thick neck. The impact boomed throughout the forest. The grimm screeched, but it was strained due to the pressure that was Ruby's perfect crushing blow.

… and hit the mark.

From the bone-crushing pressure, the nevermore was forced to plummet.

Seeing how things were going well so far, Yang cheered. "That's my sis!"

Somehow, Ruby kept a tight grip on the thick feathers that emitted eternal darkness. The red-cloaked girl and bird delved into the ground, causing various debris to spew in all directions. Multiple trees trembled and ripped out of the roots. Random wildlife fled the area as the aftermath settled.

Just before the beast took a direct blow head-first, Ruby braced her aura. Thanks to that, she was spared a lot of pain as she leaped off the enemy, making room for her teammates.

"Go!" Yang exclaimed.

Now that the grimm was forcefully downed and dazed, Weiss flung Yang like a slingshot with her glyphs. It was time to make sure the beast stayed down. While flying, Yang cocked her fist back and let out a war cry, aiming for a direct hit on the sharp beak. She needed to rid one of the biggest threats this grimm adorned.

The nevermore gained its bearings sooner than they thought it would. The crash landing only stunned it for a few seconds, and Yang's grunt snapped it out of its stupor. Before the brawler could land a lethal strike, its wings twitched.

This didn't go unnoticed to Ruby. "Yang, wait!"

It's not like Yang could magically halt in mid-air. She was soaring at a thousand miles an hour. Since it was too late to back out, Yang persevered and gathered her fiery aura into her right fist with the golden brass knuckles.

The grimm was much quicker than she anticipated. Its broad wing swept across dozens of feet to effectively swat Yang away like she was a mere fly. Just a pest. With the wind knocked out of her, Yang gasped and tumbled backward, bashing harshly into a hillside.

"Yang!" Blake worriedly called out. She wanted nothing more than to aid her, but she had to focus on the looming threat for their overall safety.

The team had to pull this off. The hostile nevermore was almost back on its feet as it stumbled a bit, still dazed from the harsh landing. It was only a matter of time before it tried to fly and have the ultimate advantage.

Originally, Yang was supposed to stun it further to guarantee a clean cut victory. However, the team underestimated the strength of this damned bird. Changing tactics, Weiss darted next to Blake.

"Blake! Now!"

Before the grimm could lift its wings properly to take off, the girls split to flank each side. In unison, Weiss thrust her rapier into the left wing while Blake jabbed her katana into the right. An anguished shriek tore from the nevermore's lungs as it flailed wildly.

Due to their haste, the pins weren't as effective as they liked. It took almost no effort for the beast to rip out of the rapier's grip. However, the right wing was still pinned to the ground by the sharp sword. As a result, the grimm struggled to lift off with only one wing and stumbled, causing the ground to shake.

Blake's ears flickered feverishly and she shouted. "Back!"

Before the grimm thrashed around to clear the area of its enemies, Blake and Weiss hopped back several feet to give the frustrated beast some space. At least there was one blade holding it down. For now.

After the grimm gave an experimental hop, the world shook violently. It was a clear attempt to escape the katana's nasty grip. However, Yang ruined its plans when she appeared in front of its irritating, squawking mask.

The brawler was about to land a solid jab, but this nevermore's screams alone were powerful. Powerful enough to send her into a daze. The shock wave and putrid breath were enough to catch her off guard as the beast swung with its free wing. It was like a train that crushed a soda can as cracks rang out. Yang cursed herself as she was slapped away, expecting another unforgiving landing.

A fragile yelp tore from her lungs. "Agh!"

Instead of a tree, she was met with a pair of supportive arms.

"I got you."

Confused, Yang looked up to see the concerned faunus. They didn't have time to exchange words as Blake curled closely into her back, bracing her purple aura for impact. They hammered into a boulder, leaving a large dent as the air was forced from their lungs.

That bought the nevermore enough time. Due to the vicious movements, the katana was no longer in place and dropped uselessly on the ground. Determined to keep this frustrating grimm grounded, Ruby fired multiple shots at it. One of the shots proved to be critical when it popped one of its red eyes. It was like popping bubble wrap. This caused crimson to splotch on the vibrant green grass. A wild, thunderous roar ensued as the grimm blinked rapidly as if it was trying to regain proper vision.

To aid Ruby in keeping this damned bird grounded, Weiss snuck around its side to retrieve her rapier. She waited patiently for one of its wings to rest on the ground, and used that as her chance to impale it with the blade.

The sudden shot of pain was more than enough to snatch the daunting nevermore's attention. Ruby's bullets were no longer necessary to pay attention to as it whipped its head around to meet the priestess' startled gaze.

As the massive beast leered over her, it let out another screech. All Weiss could do was brace herself for the inevitable impact. She didn't have enough time to summon a propulsion glyph as the beak slashed-

-and then she was in a pair of arms.

There was a trail of rose petals behind them as she looked up at Ruby, who smiled down at her. That smile vanished when the girl was knocked hardly on her back by a broad mass that was most likely a wing. The force was so powerful that Weiss felt it rattle through the girl. Together, the pair streaked across the forest with yelps from the sudden brutal force. They took a vicious tumble and skidded to a halt quietly.

Unfortunately, the grimm had broken free for the second time and used both of its wings to create a rippling air effect.

This time, instead of taking it head-on, Yang began to wail on its back. She was hoping to shatter the spine so it couldn't even walk, much less fly. Fortunately, Blake caught onto her plan and used her clones to rapidly slash the back that was covered in thick feathers.

When the massive beast thrashed, it lifted its head behind itself to face the infuriating duo. Intimidatingly, the monster opened its beak as it lunged.

In a warning, Blake called out. "Yang!"

Just as the brawler landed a solid jab on one of its sensitive vertebrae, Yang looked up to notice the sharp beak heading right for her. Luckily, the grimm was still flailing around, so Yang was able to accidentally dodge the attack by a slight misstep.

"W-oah!"

To prevent the monster from striking at her friend again, Blake and her clones hopped directly on top of the squawking beak. She put such immense pressure on the top that it clamped its jaws shut. The ear-piercing screeches stopped as the grimm whipped its head violently. It didn't take long for Blake and her clones to be flicked off since she didn't have proper footing.

"Agh!"

Luckily for the faunus, she didn't soar that high and landed in soft bushes.

Like the infuriating grimm was reborn anew, the red eyes warped an even darker crimson. The right eye oozed red liquid and tainted its feathers and chest. It let our another menacing shriek that put the most impressive monsters to shame. It was so violent that Yang felt its entire body vibrate. Before she could even register what was happening, the beast flung her off like a bull at a rodeo.

As a result, Yang whizzed passed her entire team and crashed against a tree and another… and another… and another in a domino effect.

"Yang!" Ruby was about to go tend to her sister with her semblance, but a hand on her hoodie stopped her from bolting away. "Weiss!? Why're you-"

"Wait."

"What!? But Yang, she's-"

"-okay," Weiss finished for her. "Three hits from a fully grown nevermore? Her semblance is charged like a battery. You've been wanting to see her semblance, yes? Sit back and watch."

Ruby clearly looked hesitant, but she decided to trust her friend with this. "Okay, but if it looks like she's struggling, I'm helping her."

"Of course, you dunce. I'd expect nothing less."

Besides the massive bird's squawks, there was silence. Dust rose in the air and mixed with the sky where Yang had finished splitting the ground open. The team looked over to see that the grimm was acting refreshed, but it looked like it couldn't fly since it was upright at an angle. Maybe its spine was injured.

Their attention was stolen when there was a blazing inferno in the distance. Instantly, Ruby breathed a sigh of relief and awe. Yang looked fine aside from her dirtied school uniform. In fact, she had the smuggest smirk she'd ever seen. Even bigger than when they trained with hand-to-hand combat.

Like a super saiyan, Yang slammed her fists together as her hair ignited. Her entire form was a blazing inferno that caused the surrounding vegetation to burn and wither to ash. The brawler was about to take off like a sprinter, but then she noticed the helpful, supportive trail of glyphs.

With a grin, Yang eagerly leaped on the dazzling white path and soared at the screeching grimm. Like a yellow and red meteor, the brawler connected her fist with the bird's broad chest. Yang was moving too fast for the monster to react.

Relentlessly, Yang howled as the thrill of the fight surged over her. All the beast could do was yelp and attempt to knock her away with its torn up wings. When Yang dodged too quickly, the grimm lunged directly at the fireball with its butcher-knife beak.

There was no way she'd let this pesky grimm get the better of her _again_. Having expected the intelligent grimm to switch tactics, Yang lodged herself directly between the lower and upper jaw with a wild grin.

"Bon app the teeth, bitch!"

With all her might, Yang shattered smaller sections of the beak as the inferno raged on. During, she thought about the three times this damned bird got the better of her as her anger overflowed like a boiling pot of water. All the grimm could do was squawk and flail around, hoping to fling her off.

That proved to be fruitless as Yang cried in a fury. It was almost a sad display. The grimm struggled, but each time it tried to retaliate, Yang shut it down with more critical jabs.

Unable to watch any longer, Blake conjured up three of her clones. Two Blakes helped the other two leap highly in the air just above the struggling grimm. With the katanas poised, the two faunus sliced directly through the broad neck like an executioner.

The neck separated from the body, leaving the head to roll onto the ground. Knowing their job was done, Yang and Blake hopped back to join their friends. From the display, Ruby and Weiss' jaws dropped. It was like the massive grimm was an apple and Blake was the knife!

The corpse began to wither away in small chunks.

Relieved, Yang held out a fist to the tired faunus. "Good job, Blakey," her flames withered away, having served their purpose.

Blake returned the fist bump with a smirk. "Couldn't have done it if you didn't beat the hell out of it."

Unable to hold back any longer, Ruby burst with joy. "Yang! Your semblance is amazing! You deformed that stupid grimm's face! And then you were like wapah! And the nevermore was like nooooo!" the giddy girl made gestures for every word. "And Blake! You cut it like it was nothing! Like it was paper!"

With glee, Ruby quickly pecked her on the lips. The couple blushed from the sweet contact.

Blake smiled, but couldn't stifle the fluster in her voice. "T-that was definitely one of my bigger cuts."

"'One of,'" Weiss quoted and playfully rolled her eyes, thinking that Blake couldn't have possibly cut something bigger than a nevermore's neck.

"Let's celebrate!" Yang giddily suggested as she checked the time on her phone. "School's over."

"Oh!" Ruby chirped from an idea. "Let's go to that new bakery that opened a few days ago!"

As her friends conversed excitedly from the good suggestion, Weiss felt the phone in her skirt pocket buzz. She frowned, already knowing who it was from and why it was sent. Reluctantly, she checked the message, being proved correct.

Her three teammates turned on their heels, but noticed Weiss was staring at her phone and remained in place.

"What's up, princess?" Yang asked, slightly afraid of the reason for the text. "Can you come with us?"

"I have to go to my place," the priestess casually replied. Yang hated how she was right to be afraid. "I'll go with you next time."

As Weiss turned on her heel to walk home, the three focused on her back.

"Yeah..." Yang mumbled as she dipped her head, knowing that Weiss was keeping something from them. "I guess…"

When Weiss was a decent distance away, Ruby and Yang sent Blake the nod.

It was time.

* * *

 **The chapter title refers to the lyrics by Amalee's song White Light. "'Take aim and hit the mark' that white hypnotic spark!"**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**

 **Yes, I know it's bon appetit. Yang's way is better.**


	36. Stealth Mission

**It's Monty's day as I write this: 2/1/2018. Keep Moving Forward! Oh shit and now it's today 3/3/2019. Fake Patty's day was f*cking LIT! Drank from 2 pm- 4 am. Might be a record.**

* * *

Her sweaty hand slipped and almost failed to grasp the next ledge.

Blake had been scaling the tricky white stones for several agonizing minutes. After what felt like eternity, the balcony above her was near. Thanks to the balcony, the sun's harsh rays were blocked, which spared her some pain. The sunlight silhouetted against the balcony, so Blake was under a cool shadow at last.

With a determined grunt, she firmly gripped the next stone that projected out the side of the wall.

" _Scaling a mansion will be easy for you," they said._ Blake bitterly thought. _I don't see Ruby and Yang doing this._

Honestly, the faunus was proud she'd made it this far. With the help of her clones, she managed to throw off security and trespass on Schnee grounds.

She kept telling herself that this was wrong, but at the same time, it was right. It was a conflicting swirl of emotions as she leapt to the next stone with a grunt.

Reluctantly, the nimble faunus looked down. She was dozens of feet off the ground. If she fell now, she didn't think that even her clones could save her.

This damned mansion was like a skyscraper. Blake was sure that if there were people, she'd see ants. The garden below looked like plain grass. The faunus glistened a layer of sweat as she prepared for the next vault.

 _Yang's worry finally reached the breaking point,_ Blake thought sadly. _She's not alone on that. Ruby and I are worried sick about her, too. Especially after she received another text and said nothing about it._

By this point, the three friends had become desperate. It was torture to stand by idly and watch any longer. It was clear that Weiss was never going to talk about her home life on her own. They were overwhelmed and like any normal friends, wanted to help.

To do so, they took drastic measures. They were so desperate that Ruby and Yang gave Blake the go ahead to break into Weiss' home and figure out exactly what's going on behind those seemingly perfect closed doors.

 _I'm glad Ruby and Yang agreed to this. I feel a little less guilty eavesdropping, or stalking…_ Blake shook her head, telling herself that this was justified to help her dear friend. _My advice to wait went down the drain. I guess I'm glad about that. I don't think I can wait a second longer to help her._

After a deep inhale, Blake sprang over to the stone railing on the balcony. It took all her upper body strength as her arms screamed in protest. With both hands, she gripped it for dear life as her body dangled dangerously below.

With all her might, Blake pulled herself up and over the railings, landing safely on the balcony. She thumped on her back as she panted for breath. The ground was warm. Her chest heaved as she stared up at the vibrant sky.

 _Oh my god. Never again. I'm never scaling a building ever again._

That was a more intense workout than fighting that nevermore not even an hour ago! Her arms burned like they were on fire and were limp by her side. The cat faunus could only lay there as the adrenaline wore off.

After a few minutes, Blake gathered the energy to stand and look around. Outside, there were several white lilies in pots that rested on the railings. Blake was lucky she didn't smash any by accident.

There was an aluminum chair that faced the horizon. When the sun sets, this would be the ideal place to watch. Blake could definitely see Weiss using it on occasion.

Leading to the inside were two sliding glass doors. There was a light blue and white room. It had to be Weiss' room. Determined to find out, Blake tiptoed over and slid a door open, surprised that it was unlocked. She came with some bobby pins in case she needed to pick the lock. It was safe to assume that Weiss never expected an intruder to scale her house and leap onto her personal balcony.

From the looks of it, Weiss wasn't in her room yet. Blake beat her to it. Now that she had time, she decided to check it out. The entire room was about half the size of a football field. Instead of artificial grass, it was a pure marble floor.

She felt so small in this vast space as she glanced around in awe. The walls were mostly light blue with an accent of white. The bed was definitely king-sized and adorned the fluffiest blankets and pillows. There was no way Weiss needed all this space. Blake imagined she'd only need a quarter of this bed.

Awestruck, she brushed her fingers over the snowflake patterned blankets. After rubbing the blankets, Blake had enough and sauntered over to Weiss' desk.

Of course, the counter top was the finest, shimmering granite. The laptop with a snowflake as the logo was closed, and the mouse was on the left side under a mouse pad. Since the desk had enough space, there was also a small pot of white lilies in the corner. Next to that was a framed, horizontal picture that was propped up against the wall.

Intrigued, Blake gently grasped the frame and curiously examined it.

There were a ton of plants and flowers in the scenery. In the midst of the sun and vegetation, there was a child with white hair. Blake guessed it was Weiss. The child had the widest, happiest grin as she was held by an older woman who adorned a dainty sun hat. It wasn't hard to guess that the woman was her mother, who had bobbed white hair with kind blue eyes. The mother and daughter had the same sweet shade of azure. In the background picking some white lilies was a shorter man with a mustache. Blake had no clue who he was as she tilted her head in thought.

There was an overwhelming amount of happiness seeping into the air from this picture. Blake couldn't explain it. It was like this picture emanated its own aura. Unable to help herself, Blake smiled.

 _Willow made her so happy. I haven't seen her smile like that in forever._

When Blake set the picture back in its rightful place, she sighed. Now that she had a chance to cool off from the arduous exercise, she felt a chill down her spine. She crossed her arms as she shivered.

The air was cold.

There was a lot of magnificent furniture in this room. It was pleasing to the eye, no doubt. This was more than enough for anyone to live in luxury. It even suited Blake's needs and desires when she found several bookshelves with various novels.

Despite this, Blake felt...

Empty.

She had no time to dwell on that feeling when she heard footsteps just outside the door. They were light and had a purpose, meaning one thing.

 _She's here._

Just when her adrenaline vanished, it spiked again.

Blake whipped her head around for a place to hide. Fortunately, there was a door just a few feet to her right. Swiftly, she darted inside and was careful to leave it cracked open. If she was going to make sure her friend was okay, she had to see her.

Since it was dark in this room, her night vision came in handy. Having time, Blake gazed around and her jaw almost hit the carpet. This was a closet full of shoes. Ranging from flats to pumps to sneakers and everything in between. Most of them were a shade of blue, and a select few were vibrant red. The kind of crimson people normally wear if they were making a fashion statement or attending a very important dance.

 _How many does she have?!_

There were shelves of them. Even part of the white carpet had some pairs of shoes since some shelves were overflowing. There were easily dozens of shoes. Blake would even say that it wouldn't be odd to guess about a hundred. Each pair was stacked neatly and next to the respective counterpart.

Before she could inspect an interesting black, sparkling pair, a door in the distance opened.

Instantly, Blake covered her mouth as her cat ears perked up. Those were the same footsteps she heard earlier. Weiss must be here. To make sure, Blake carefully peeked through the door crack, making sure her breathing was light.

Yep, Weiss was here. She looked tired, which was to be expected. Not even half an hour ago they took out a giant nevermore. Blake squinted to see her properly as she made her way over to the dresser.

Seeing as her friend was about to change, Blake looked away to give her privacy. A cat ear flicked from the faint sound of Weiss exchanging dirty clothes for new ones. Only when there was the noise of the shelf sliding shut did Blake look again.

Good, Weiss was in a new set of clothes. From this angle, Blake could see her back as Weiss went over to sit at her desk. There was a large, ungodly textbook as Weiss flipped through the pages.

Thanks to her perfect vision, Blake could read the title. _Business Strategies and Advanced Techniques for Entrepreneurship,_ she took a moment to process the mouthful. _That's right, she's heiress to Schnee Energy… I forgot since she never talks about it._

For a few minutes, the turning of pages lingered. The whole time, Weiss' head was dipped down and her eyes were glued to the book like she was a zombie.

Blake was almost worried about a second since she hadn't turned a page in a while. Maybe she got distracted by her thoughts. Blake's worry washed away when Weiss reached out for the picture on her desk. Time for a break.

Fondly, Weiss adjusted the picture on her desk, giving it a curious inspection.

 _Such a perfectionist. Did she notice it wasn't the same angle as before? I tried to leave it how it was._

When Weiss was done gazing at the picture, she went back to study the intimidatingly thick book. Lazily, she placed a hand under her chin after a small sigh. Internally, Blake agreed. Reading that thing had to be more boring than watching.

This led Blake to venture in her own mind. What was that text Weiss received about? If nothing was going to happen, why was she here watching her friend like some stalker?

As Weiss read, she subconsciously reached under her school uniform and pulled out the silver locket. Mindlessly, she began to fiddle with it before resting it on her cheek. Her eyes never left the pages.

 _Oh yeah,_ Blake thought. _She's an heiress and a priestess. That's… a lot._

Blake didn't know how she did it. She really didn't. Never in a million years could she have that much on her plate while somehow staying sane. The fact that Weiss did all this while also excelling in academics was beyond her. It sounded impossible. It should've been impossible.

After about half an hour passed, there was a knock on the door. Instantly, Weiss stood and glided over to greet whoever was there. To get a better view, Blake adjusted herself so she had the perfect view of the door to her friend's room.

"Hello, Weiss," a friendly male voice greeted.

"Klein!" Weiss exclaimed happily.

 _Klein? Who's that?_ Blake asked herself. She couldn't even see the man since Weiss was apparently taller than him. The faunus caught part of his mustache and everything clicked. _He's the guy in the picture! His name's Klein. Klein._

Since Blake was horrible with names, she repeated it in her head several times for it to stick.

Under the mustache, Klein smiled. "I'm sorry if I'm interrupting your studies-"

"Don't be," the priestess reassured. "You're never a bother."

It was obvious to Blake that Weiss cherished whoever this Klein was dearly. She was obviously happy to see him. However, the atmosphere become heavy as Weiss continued with her next words.

"Is… is Father ready now?"

 _Ready now?_ Blake repeated to herself. _Does that mean she was waiting for him to be ready? Was the earlier text meant to get her home before this… meeting? What kind of a dad arranges a meeting with his own daughter?_

Klein hesitantly nodded. "Yes, he needs a word with you now."

"Alright then."

Noticing she looked distressed by that, Klein pulled her in for a hug. His shorter arms enveloped her back. Fondly, Weiss slid her arms around his back as she took a deep breath.

Blake watched from the heartwarming scene from the closet. Based on the apron Klein was wearing, and since the Schnee's had boat loads of money, she guessed this man was a butler. It was odd for a man other than Mr. Schnee to be in this mansion, so that was the only thing Blake could deduce. From this angle, Blake got a solid look at him. He was definitely the man in the picture.

 _I've only seen her hug Dad like that._

After the two separated, Klein gave her a sad smile.

"I'm sorry about what happened last time," Klein apologized.

 _Last time?_ Blake asked herself. That's when she recalled her friend's blue wrist. It didn't take long for a frown to form.

Klein continued with regret in his voice. "If I'd covered you properly-"

"It wasn't your fault," Weiss stated firmly. "My own carelessness caught up to me."

 _At least she's not completely alone,_ Blake observed. _Klein knows. And he's supportive. That's good. That relieves me just a bit._

Weiss' stern words didn't make Klein feel less guilty. However, he could tell she was still in distress. He didn't mind if he felt that way, but when it came to her, he wanted her to be happy always. With a plan, his eyes warped red as he mischievously smirked.

"For having such a cold room, he can be full of hot air."

From the sudden change in demeanor, Blake was taken aback. _Her butler says that about his boss? He must really care for Weiss if he's risking his job._

"Klein," Weiss giggled like a child from the joke.

It was such an innocent sound. One that reminded Blake of Ruby.

The two shared laughter as the icy atmosphere melted.

However, the giggles were cut short as Weiss' hand flew to her chest. A second later, she knelt over so quickly like something rammed into her back. Her lips were parted, but no sound came out.

Alarmed, Klein exclaimed worriedly. "Snowflake?!"

When there was no reply, Klein set a hand on her back and another around her waist. Weiss was silent as she clawed at her heart. It was like something was eating her from the inside out.

From the sight, Blake almost leaped out of the closet.

 _What's happening?! Klein you idiot, get a doctor!_

"I'll call for someone-"

Klein was about to reach for his cell phone, but a pale hand stopped him. The worried butler felt her straighten up and she took a deep breath.

"I'm okay now, Klein," Weiss used a stern voice that strove for steadiness. "S-sorry about that."

There was this casualness in her tone that sent Blake on edge. Like this wasn't the first time that this has happened.

"Are you well?" Klein questioned, his concern clearly still showing. "What happened?"

"I assure you, I'm okay now."

Golden eyes narrowed. _Keyword: now._

Concerned, the man gave her a once over. She looked perfectly fine. In fact, it was clear that she was trying to keep the poker face. There was an inkling of doubt in Klein's mind. He couldn't forget the sight of her doubled over in pain like that.

"You can meet with your Father later, Snowflake," Klein insisted. "Get some rest instead."

"No," Weiss replied firmly. "I'd rather get this over with."

Anxious to see her father, Weiss hesitantly pushed passed Klein since she knew he'd protest.

"W-wait, Snowflake!"

The worried man trailed behind her, hoping to change her mind. "He'd understand if you're sick-"

"He won't," Weiss shot that suggestion down. "Klein, please return to work. I'd rather he didn't yell at you, too."

After a heavy sigh, Klein conceded. "Text me if you need anything, okay?"

"I will."

With that, Klein let her go and went back to his duties as a butler.

Fortunately for Blake, the door was left open. The moment Klein left her side, Blake bolted after Weiss. Like a ninja, she created no noise as she followed on her tiptoes. She was her friend's shadow and somehow remained unseen in the overly white halls.

Along the way, Blake hid behind multiple cabinets, shelves, and curtains in the vast hallways. At one point, there was even a massive piano she blended into. She was starting to wonder how big this mansion was. She would've gotten lost if she wasn't following Weiss.

Noticing there was an easier way to sneak around, Blake used one of her clones to scale the walls and hide in the rafters. It was difficult to not make any noise from the parkour, but she somehow managed it like a true shadow.

Now she had a full view of Weiss as she perched on the rafter like an owl.

A few minutes passed as Blake swung silently along the rafters. Finally, Weiss stopped at a pair of large double doors that had one large snowflake emblazoned in the middle.

There was an audible sigh before Weiss let herself in and shut the door.

Frustrated, Blake dropped down just outside the closed doors. She looked for another way in, but came up blank.

She had to see what happened behind closed doors somehow! She had to witness it for herself. Otherwise, she'd keep telling herself that Fathers aren't capable of physical harm.

Carefully, she rested a cat ear on the left door. Only to hear nothing.

Soundproof doors?!

 _High dollar Schnee's,_ Blake grit her teeth from not being able to hear anything. If she couldn't figure out what was going on behind closed doors, then why was she here!?

Determined to get results, Blake turned on her heel to look for another way in.

Only to be stunned stiff.

Golden eyes widened the size of dinner plates when she noticed there was the familiar short man not even ten meters from her.

Klein was staring directly at her.

Blake blinked.

Klein blinked.

Trying to appear friendly, Blake waved.

* * *

 **Blaaaaaaake! Way to blow your cover! At least the wave might've saved you. Before anyone makes the joke, allow me. *ahem* Blake's in the closet ahahahaha no. no. not anymore. The ladybug is strong with this one.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	37. You, I Want to Believe

Trying to appear friendly, the random girl with black hair waved.

Klein stood there, trying to process why this random person was in the hallway. Why she was so interested in getting into his boss' study room. One of the more pressing questions in his mind was how she slipped past security and remained unseen until he glanced behind himself on a whim.

Before the butler could speak or ask any questions, the girl in uniform rapidly approached him. Since this girl was in a school uniform that matched Weiss', he didn't feel threatened. Rather, the opposite.

Obviously, she had to be here for a reason.

His thoughts were confirmed when she spoke.

"Do not be alarmed, I'm Weiss' friend," Blake said softly, keeping her voice low. "Please be quiet. I don't want Weiss to hear us somehow."

"W-why are you here?" Klein couldn't swallow the stammer. "Who are you? How'd you get passed security?"

"I figured you'd have lots of questions, but that has to wait," Blake replied evenly. Instead of giving him a direct reply, Blake glanced over her shoulder at the double doors. "Can you please tell me how to get into that room?"

From the question, Klein was taken aback. This girl wanted to get into his boss' office? Despite the millions of questions swirling in his mind, he cleared his head. Something told him there was nothing to fear. This black-haired girl was trying to keep calm. There was only worry was present in those soft amber pools. She also claimed to be one of Weiss' friends. Not to mention, the uniform definitely helped ease his nerves. These things told him that she wasn't lying.

This girl was clearly on a mission. From what he could tell, there was no stopping her. Not even trespassing and breaking the law. She was willing to risk jail time for Weiss.

"You want to get in Master Jacques' study?" Klein asked in exasperation.

"Yes."

From that, the shorter man adorned a mischievous grin. His eyes flashed red for a moment. "Pardon me, I'll tell you only if you answer one of my questions."

After a heavy sigh, Blake replied. "What is it?"

"Were you the one Weiss smiled at when she received the text?"

That question caught Blake totally off guard. She was clearly taken aback as her lips parted slightly, trying to process her thoughts before speaking. All that came out was a mumbled. "Huh?"

It was obvious that she had no clue what he was referring to. When Klein saw his Snowflake smile in the garden, he was reminded of Willow. A true angel. Anyone who protected that smile was good in his book.

Since this wasn't the girl that originally sent the text, he waved it off. Maybe one day he could meet the girl Weiss was talking so fondly to.

"Nevermind, forget it," Klein dismissed with the wave of his hand. "I can tell you're Sno- Weiss' friend. From the looks of it, you want to help her."

"Yeah," the faunus nodded. She tried to be as curt as possible. She felt rude in doing so, but she really had to get in that room.

It was a good thing that those doors were soundproof. This way, Weiss couldn't hear Blake conversing with the butler.

Without hesitation, Klein pointed to an air vent on the side of the wall. It was just to the right of the massive double doors. This was a small detail Blake missed as she cursed herself.

 _Of course there's a way in right there,_ Blake thought. _If only I'd seen it sooner._

Since Mr. Schnee was fond of the cold, it didn't surprise Klein when he had it installed just for his office.

"That vent leads directly to his study," Klein informed softly and wiggled his mustache. "Try not to be heard or seen this time."

Blake wanted nothing more than to question the butler's unexpected helpfulness, but she was on a time crunch. She had to see Weiss as soon as possible. Especially if her and her father were alone in that room. That might be where everything takes place. Behind closed doors. She had to break them open.

"Thank you," the faunus breathed. "Please don't tell your Snowflake that I was here."

Klein lightly chuckled from that. "Naturally, Ms.-?"

"Blake."

"Blake," Klein repeated. "It's nice to meet one of Weiss' trusted friends. Although, do try not to trespass again."

Since the two had a playful banter going on, the faunus felt comfortable enough to roll her eyes. "It was an accident."

After Blake turned on her heel, Klein whispered. "Good luck."

Touched that Weiss had such caring friends, the trustworthy butler pretended he didn't see a thing. He retreated to another room to resume dusting a few bookshelves. After that, he had a chicken in the oven to check on. Good thing he had other things to distract him.

When Blake knew for sure that Klein, she summoned a shadow clone to give her a boost to check the air vent. When she jumped, she realized there were screws in place over the cover. Of course there were. It seemed like there was an obstacle at every turn. This kept getting more difficult.

Determined, the faunus summoned multiple clones that stacked on top of each other like a human tower. When the shadows were in place, the real Blake climbed on top of all of them before reaching the top. With a smirk, the sly faunus yanked out a screw driver from her skirt pocket.

She came prepared. She didn't know what tools she'd need for this mission, so she brought all. This included a few knives, bobby pins, rope, a slingshot, and food- courtesy of Ruby. The slingshot was Yang's bright idea.

Luckily, it didn't take long to unscrew the pesky cover. After she finished, she carefully popped off the top. Gently, she handed the top piece to the clone below her, who passed it along until it made it to the bottom safely without a sound. By the end, it rested against the wall on the marble floor.

After that, Blake pulled her body into the vent. She made some noise as she landed on the steel surface. There was enough wiggle room as she smiled triumphantly. For a moment, she was worried she wouldn't fit.

 _Finally. A break._

With a flick of her finger, she recalled her clones and began to crawl forward. There was only one way to go as she acted as the very air within.

It didn't take long to hear yelling in the distance. It sounded like a whiney man's voice. Definitely Weiss' father. This compelled Blake to squirm faster. Her body didn't generate much noise thanks to years of perfected stealth.

There was more shouting as Blake approached a the end of the narrow tunnel.

 _Sounds like it's something about the company._

There was another sheet of the air vent that led into the room that she could hide behind. She had a front row seat as she watched carefully through the multiple beams that skewered her view a little. But it was good enough. Better than expected.

As she watched, Blake made sure her heart was rhythmic and her breathing was soft. Golden pools pierced through the air vent cover as she studied the scene.

The room was vast. In fact, there was another air vent across the room at the same level. Aside from that, there were more bookshelves than she could count. A chandelier that was too tacky for her tastes. And several pictures of a young boy, who she concluded was Whitley.

Most importantly, Weiss was there. She was standing in front of her father, although a large desk separated the two and acted as a barrier. The man's voice rose again and Blake noticed that her friend visibly tensed.

This caused Blake to swallow a worried whimper.

 _Okay, arrogant, jerk of a father. Saw that coming. Stop yelling at her!_

When Mr. Schnee was done with his rant about the family business, he leaned over the desk in a seething rage. He looked like he was boiling red.

Unable to bite her tongue, Weiss tipped him over the edge.

"I have done nothing but fight to uphold the honor of _my_ family name. A name that youmarried into!"

A resounding slap sound rang out. This was followed by a gasp.

"Agh!"

Blake watched in horror as the fire burning inside fueled her. The man's hand was still in the air, and Weiss was frozen in place as her head remained at an angle from the smack.

As dead silence lingered, Blake grit her teeth and her fingers curled into the chilly steel surface.

If Yang saw that- oh- Blake didn't even want to think about it. She'd undoubtedly break his neck right then and there.

Instead of letting the emotions overrun her, Blake forced herself to remain calm as hatred for the man seeped in her entire being. It took all her willpower to not bust out of this cramped vent and drop full force on the jackass. A hard kick to the balls or face would be ideal. Yang's way of snapping his neck would be best.

"This behavior of yours has gotten out of hand," Jacques said in a calm tone. A stark contrast to how he spoke before the slap. "You couldn't possibly understand the lengths I've gone to in order to keep this family where it is."

It didn't take long for Weiss to recover as a hand went to her cheek. Like nothing happened, Weiss faced her father as a red mark formed. "The Schnee family legacy isn't yours to lead. It's _mine_ ," the priestess placed a hand over her heart in emphasis.

Silently, Blake cheered her on. Weiss didn't back down even after a forceful slap. There was that signature defiance shining through.

Unable to cope with his daughter's defiance, Jacques roared as an intimidation tactic. "You sound just like that woman."

The mention of _her_ caused Weiss' lips to turn upward in a small smile.

 _Willow…_ Blake realized.

"That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me," Weiss breathed.

As Weiss turned on her heel to leave, Jacques called after her.

"I'm sure Whitley will enjoy his title as heir."

From that comment, amber eyes widened. Did Weiss just lose her title?

Since Weiss' father always had the last word, she simply let the door shut.

Blake was left in the vent, trying to process what just happened.

* * *

"Then I said, yeah it's the new school uniform!"

"No way!" Yang gasped in disbelief. "He didn't actually…?"

"Yep!" Taiyang beamed with a grin. "He wore a skirt to school the next day!"

The family bursted into giggles. On the couch across from Tai and Yang was Ruby and Blake. The former had Zwei resting in her lap as the television blared in the background.

It'd been several minutes since Blake returned home from her mission. Since then, her family ate because they waited for her arrival. Then they relaxed in the living room. Since Taiyang was present, Blake didn't want to mention any details of Weiss' home life until they were alone. Something Ruby and Yang completely understood.

Naturally, Ruby and Yang wanted to question her about what happened since Blake was gone for a few hours. It took a little long than they thought it would. However, it was also important to act like things were alright in front of their father.

Taiyang couldn't stop laughing. "Some people still call him 'kilt' to this day!"

Ruby rolled her eyes. "And you wonder why he gives you dirty looks."

Taiyang crossed his arms. "He should really get over it. It was decades ago! Everytime he sees me, it looks like he wants to _kilt_ me."

"Dammit!" Yang exclaimed in exasperation. Her sudden shout was so loud it caused Zwei to bark. "I just thought'a that one!"

"Beat you… to the punch!" Taiyang happily chirped as he held out a fist.

Giddily, Yang fist bumped him.

"Uh," Ruby heavily groaned. "Stop. Can't you go one conversation without making a stupid pun?"

Yang looked taken aback by that. "Have you not lived with us for sixteen years?"

Ruby whined and put her head in her hands. "I'll never be immune."

Usually, this was the part when Blake comforted her grumbling girlfriend. However, Blake remained stiff on the sofa. This whole time, she'd been quiet. Normally, she chipped in on conversations here and there. Truthfully, she couldn't get that scene out of her head. Her worst fears were confirmed.

The faunus was acting different and isolated herself from the conversation, which really worried Ruby and Yang. What exactly happened to make her like this?

While her family laughed from something Tai said, Blake's stomach twisted in a knot. She felt like she'd be sick. Seeing her family so carefree like this made her heart ache. After what she witnessed in the Schnee residence, she realized how good she had it.

Sensing Blake wasn't herself, Yang chimed in. "I think I'm done for the night, Dad. I'm headin' up."

"Bored you already, huh?" Taiyang asked with a light smile. "Alright. Have fun."

Taking that as her chance, Blake stood to follow her up the staircase. Anxiety overflowed as she thought about what to say to them. It was time to finally talk. Not wanting to be left behind, Ruby quickly followed.

"Seeya in the morning, Dad!" Ruby called down.

From that, Tai shrugged. It seems his daughters had other things to do. "If ya want a snack later, let me know!"

Multiple hums of acknowledgement.

Tai was left with the television and dog. Casually, he stretched his hands above his head as he gazed at the panting corgi that was sprawled out on the sofa. "Looks like they left us, huh?"

A timid bark.

In silence, the three veered to the left and headed into Blake's room like they were on a mission. After the door shut, they took their seats at the table. Both Ruby and Yang leaned in, expectant.

Blake was left to frown as she replayed the scene in her head.

"What happened?" came Yang's worried and stern voice.

The faunus folded her hands stiffly in her lap and dipped her head. "Listen, Yang, Ruby. You need to follow what I say next. No matter what, understand?"

Immediately, the sisters perked up.

"Of course, Blake," Ruby replied softly.

Yang nodded in agreement. "Yeah, okay. What is it?"

"I'm not going to tell you what I saw," Blake finished with a frown.

The sisters were clearly taken aback by that. Before either could speak up, Blake continued.

"Yet."

"But why?" Ruby asked, curious. "Wasn't the whole point of this to know what's going on? For all of us to help?"

Before Blake could speak, Yang nodded in agreement with her sister. "You're gonna make us wait longer?" she didn't sound happy. At all.

"I need to talk with Weiss first," Blake explained slowly. "After, I'll let you guys know, alright? I feel like it's the right thing to do first."

Fondly, Ruby held her hand that was still in her lap. "Yeah, okay," she breathed. "I trust you."

Yang was clearly frustrated, so Blake explained herself. "This is something I feel would be better if it was one-on-one. Rather than trap her in a corner."

Ruby and Yang shared worried glances.

"I'll trust you," the blonde smiled timidly. "As long as you tell us what happened eventually."

Ruby nodded in agreement. "Let us know how the talk goes, okay? You can explain what you saw when you see fit."

Worriedly, Blake met their glances. Just like that, all her anxieties flushed away as her girlfriend and friend smiled at her. It seemed Blake worried for nothing. She should've known that they were logical, rational people. Sometimes she forgot that they viewed her as a dependable person.

Blake nodded with affirmation, her own small smile formed.

"I'll let you know soon."

* * *

 **The chapter is titled after Amalee's song Here. "Within this world if you wish to live another day, you must disguise as a flower that will captivate. 'You, I want to believe.'"**

 **This refers to Ruby and Yang trusting Blake's course of action.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	38. The Warm Glow of a Halo

Doctor Oobleck's lecture was the same as always.

By this point, all of team RWBY had given up on taking notes in his class. They opted to try to listen instead. They wrote down some of the thing that he repeated. Other than that, the whole period was usually just them staring.

Even though Ruby's semblance is speed, she couldn't keep up with the man. Moving fast and listening to people talk like lightning are two completely different things. She found herself with her hand under her chin as she attempted to watch him move. This was to show him that she was listening, but she was actually daydreaming. She even accidentally let out a snore.

From the tiny noise, Blake grasped her hand in her own to snap her awake. That did the trick as the two blushed at each other. Fondly, Ruby squeezed the warm hand. Her girlfriend gave her one in return and went back to listening and didn't break the hand-holding contact.

Blake's cat ears flicked under her bow whenever Oobleck moved from each end of the classroom, which was every other second. It was official, his mug was filled with jet fuel. She still wasn't used to her teacher being more energetic than Ruby.

Yang had given up long ago and instead doodled in her notebook. Drawing things always ebbed her boredom, and she already knew this subject somewhat well, so she gave herself a break to feel less guilty about totally zoning out. At least she wasn't like Ruby and almost falling asleep.

Unable to help herself, Weiss glanced down at the papers on Yang's desk. Those were some interesting drawings alright. From the mere sight, her cheeks heated up and flushed. She shyly glanced away, an action Yang didn't miss.

"What's the matter, princess?" Yang whispered softly with the wiggle of her brow. "Don't like what I drew?"

Weiss was never one to speak in class, but she had to address that infuriating smirk. "Just when I thought you couldn't become more of a brute."

"What? Drawing them helps me relax."

Clearly, Weiss was taken aback as the blush never left. "Drawing… _genitalia_ helps you relax?"

With a grin, Yang set her pencil down. "I sense judgment in your tone."

"Because that's what I'm doing," the priestess said calmly.

"Ah, I get it," as if that's what she wanted her to say, Yang sent her a smug grin. "Is it because you don't like how they're drawn? I can add some hair if ya want. Or maybe you like the silky smooth ones, the stubby ones, or the skinny-long ones-"

Without interrupting the class, Weiss placed a hand over Yang's mouth. "You are such a barbarian!" she whispered harshly. Before Yang could lick her palm, she pulled away.

Somehow, Oobleck didn't hear the conversation. They kept it quiet. It was a miracle they hadn't been called out. Before Yang could retort, Ruby leaned over her desk to gaze at her three friends. She subtlety pointed to where the professor was standing.

"Guys, look. What is that thing?"

Chilling right by the professor's foot looked like a tiny black elephant. The trunk was floppy and it adorned red eyes as the darkness emanated around its form. It lacked tusks and was about the size of a small dog.

Even the veterans Yang and Weiss were taken aback from the arrival. They'd never seen a grimm like this. Much less in the school. Still, the blonde knew all the types of grimm, so she decided to educate her team.

Yang leaned in to get a better look. Since they were in the middle row, the little grimm was a little harder to see. "That's what Glyn and I call a goliath. Looks like a baby elephant, huh?"

Silver eyes practically melted from the sight. "It might be cuter than the beowolf cub."

The tiny white plates of armor were still developing. Even from this distance, the supposedly steel-like plates looked mushy. If Ruby touched it, she was sure it'd be squishy.

"It's adorable," Blake breathed in agreement.

Just as she said that, the mini goliath stomped. If it was fully grown, it would've shaken the entire school. Instead, a tiny tap noise rang out. This caused Ruby to practically squeal in delight.

Yang narrowed her eyes in confusion as she leaned back in her chair. "This is very odd. Normally, goliaths are in herds like beowolves are in packs. If there's one, there's several more."

"Ah," Ruby mumbled. "Kinda like roaches."

"Exactly," Weiss replied, shuttering a bit. "Pests."

Ruby lightly gasped. "What if there's adult goliaths here?"

Yang shook her head. "Nah, we'd feel 'em by now. They'd shake the whole school. It'd be like an earthquake. I bet there's some more small ones around here somewhere."

Blake nodded in agreement. "Looks like we'll have to keep an eye out."

"Yeah," Yang replied.

Like it was a wild beast, the mini grimm let out a roar. The goliath looked cute, but its howl was menacing. This stunned the team in place. For such a small creature, it sounded like a vicious beast. This reminded them of that tiny beowolf cub. It _looked_ cute, but on the inside, there was nothing but darkness.

After the goliath roared, they watched the black mass ram into Oobleck's leg with all its might. Despite the strong bellow, all it did was tap the tall man.

"Aw," Ruby cooed. "It's trying to take him down."

Like something was bothering him, Oobleck simply stepped to the side as he continued the lecture. This caused the grimm to tip over on the floor.

"Not gonna work, buddy," the blonde whispered as she shook her head.

As the goliath readied for another charge, Blake frowned. "We have to do something about it."

Yang crossed her arms. "Agreed, Blakey. We can't let it roam around or it might cause trouble."

Weiss nodded in agreement. "We'll purify it later."

Ruby beamed a smile.

"Sounds like a plan."

* * *

After class, it was easy to distract Oobleck. All Ruby had to do was offer assistance for whatever the caffeine-fueled teacher needed. The green-haired man was ecstatic and gave her a mountain of papers. This was a good enough distraction for her three teammates to whisk the annoyed grimm away.

Even though the goliath was basically an elephant, it didn't weigh much due to the smaller size.

When they were isolated in the halls, Blake held up the irritated goliath as it squirmed. Thanks to their help, the priestess was able to purify it without a hitch.

Since Oobleck's class was their last class of the day, Ruby and Yang headed home after the purification went well. Meanwhile, Weiss slipped into the piano room to do her homework.

However, her focus was broken when the door opened. Instantly, Weiss whirled around to see it was-

"Blake," Weiss greeted, confused. "How'd you get in? I locked the door."

The faunus shrugged. "I can pick any lock."

"Noted. What brings you here?"

From the question, Blake gazed around the room curiously. The piano was on a stage in the theater, which meant there was vast space. It was just Weiss and her papers beneath the closed keyboard. The lights for the stage were off. The lights for the room itself were on, so it wasn't blinding.

"I've never been in here before," Blake observed. "You come in here everyday?"

Since her focus dwindled, Weiss rested her pencil on top of the piano to give Blake her attention. "Just about."

Leisurely, Blake took a seat next to her friend at the piano. "Interesting."

This was idle talk. Blake would only interrupt her studies for a reason. Weiss was no fool.

When Blake took her seat, Weiss gave her a curious look. "Let's not make small talk. Why are you here, Blake?"

In her defensive, Blake waved her hands. "Can't a friend just drop by?"

"Normally you go home with your girlfriend and sister," Weiss pointed out. "I'll ask again. What brings you here?"

The atmosphere suddenly turned dark. As if the lights had turned off. To prepare herself, Blake curled her fingers into the hem of her skirt. She wasn't sure if she should start the conversation off this way, but she had to be direct.

"I saw what happened yesterday," the faunus swallowed the stammer. It was now or never.

"Pardon?"

Clearly, Weiss had no idea what she was referring to. Blake didn't give her enough pieces to complete the puzzle.

Reluctantly, Blake kept her gaze on her lap. She couldn't bear to lock eyes with her friend. She recalled the scene of her father slapping her dear friend in her mind. She had to approach this topic sensitively.

"Yesterday… I may have snuck into your house."

"Don't be absurd," came the immediate reply. "That's impossible. We have security."

"I have shadows."

A white eyebrow rose in disbelief. That was definitely true. Blake could use her shadows in a variety of ways, but breaking into someone's home?

"Let's say I believe you," Weiss began, not at all believing her friend's claim. "How'd you get in?"

"I scaled a wall," Blake revealed evenly. "I had my shadows help with that, too."

"There's no way," Weiss said, still skeptical. "You wouldn't- you're too smart to do something as reckless as that."

Blake's expression told her everything. That's _exactly_ what Blake did.

"You- you didn't…" Weiss mumbled to herself, mostly to help her believe that was impossible.

"I did, I'm sorry," Blake apologized softly. "I-I leaped on your balcony and snuck in your room," from that, Weiss' mouth dropped. "I hid in your shoe closet. You have way too many."

From the revelation, Weiss gulped. That was definitely true. But tons of people had lots of shoes!

"Who doesn't have a backlog of shoes?" the priestess questioned, trying to convince herself that Blake actually didn't sneak in her home.

To shoot down that theory, Blake shook her head. "You have a perfectly good piano at home, yet you chose to use this one."

"That proves nothing," Weiss retorted. "Plenty of homes have pianos."

Such a stubborn person. Blake sighed again as her fingers curled into her skirt. Firmly, she met Weiss' disbelieving gaze. It was time to reveal her trump card.

"I talked to Klein."

 _That_ got her attention.

"Y-you wha- you what?!"

There was no denying it now. From what Weiss remembered, she never told _anyone_ about her precious butler. The man who practically raised her. There was only one way Blake could have gotten into contact with him.

She was telling the truth.

"I did," Blake said firmly, lending a smile. "He was nice. I like him. He helped me out."

The priestess was flustered as beads of sweat formed. "With what?" she asked, afraid of the answer.

"He helped me get into your father's study."

From the revelation, Weiss' heart dropped as she sank into the bench. Azure eyes widened as her heartbeat increased.

Blake saw what happened yesterday?

" _I saw what happened yesterday."_

" _I saw what happened yesterday."_

" _I saw what happened yesterday."_

The words replayed over and over in her mind like a resounding gong.

Blake noticed that her friend was out of it and gently grasped her hand. "Hey, I'm here."

Snapping out of her trance, Weiss' worry and frustration warped to anger. "Let me get this straight. You climbed a steep wall, stalked me, trespassed, judged my shoes, conspired with Klein, and snuck into Father's study?"

Ashamed, Blake nodded. "Please don't word it like that. I had no ill intentions."

Those words meant nothing to Weiss as her earlier statement replayed in her head. Blake saw what happened. And she was somehow in her father's study. That meant only one thing.

After a gulp, Blake spoke. "I saw him slap you," she revealed as her throat tightened.

There was no avoiding this now. Blake watched carefully for a reaction. From what she could tell, Weiss was still upset and angry with her for doing that. "Blake, you have no right to-"

"We were worried!"

The sudden shout caused Weiss to shut her mouth. Rarely did Blake have an outburst. She must've truly meant that. Weiss was taken aback. _We?_ This was a team effort? They were worried about what? How? How'd they even find out?

"You've been acting strangely lately," Blake informed with a frown, her cat ears flattened on her head. "It broke our hearts that you couldn't come to your teammates about your home life. Either because you were afraid, or trying to protect us. I don't know the reason, but knowing you, it had to be a good one. We couldn't take it anymore and stand by idly. We tried to wait, but you didn't say anything."

Golden pools almost overflowed as she spoke. The revelation caused any anger Weiss held to wash away. Blake was concerned for her well-being. They all were. Getting upset would only make things worse.

"Blake," Weiss addressed calmly after a deep breath. "I've lived with him my whole life. I'm used to it."

Just hearing her say that caused Blake's heart to shatter. On reaction, Blake curled her fingers around Weiss' hand. To comfort her, Weiss squeezed back.

"It's nothing."

Weiss didn't even notice the tiny rivulets that'd escaped until Blake gingerly wiped them away with a finger.

"If it's nothing, then why're you crying?" Blake asked softly, her own tears escaping as well.

Unable to help herself, Weiss smiled. It wasn't forced. No, it was the most genuine smile Blake had ever seen. Even sincerer than Yang's own. In awe, cat ears leaned back on her head as she awaited the answer.

"Because I have such wonderful friends."

Her voice wavered, but was overwhelmed with love.

The rays from the windows beamed on the two. For a moment, Blake thought she was imagining the warm glow of a halo above her friend's head. A pure angel.

Awestruck, Blake pulled her in for a hug. Since Weiss wasn't expecting it, she stiffened as the faunus whispered in her ear.

"We love you. It's because of that we want to help. We can't do that if you don't come to us."

After the two separated, Weiss looked away. "I didn't want to worry all of you. You can't fix a problem that can't be solved, Blake."

From her reply, Blake knew right then and there that Weiss had put a lot of thought into this. It was heartbreaking as she spoke with conviction. Like she knew she wasn't wrong.

Although there might be no way out of the situation, Weiss was touched that she cared so much. Enough to confront her. Something no one else had been capable of doing until now.

"If it may console you," Weiss began softly. "The slap was weak compared to the other ones."

"Weiss…" was all Blake could mutter.

"Please don't tell Ruby and Yang," Weiss knew asking this would be for naught, but it was worth a try. "It's just when he's angry is all."

From that, Blake grit her teeth. It was hard to listen to Weiss try to justify her father's abuse.

"Please just- don't tell them," the priestess pleaded. "They won't be able to do anything about it. They'd feel helpless. That's the worst feeling..."

Sensing she spoke from experience, Blake reluctantly stood. This caused Weiss to grab her arm firmly, yet forcefully.

"Blake…"

Now the priestess was almost begging. Begging her to not worry their other friends. From the start, Weiss knew this was a losing battle. Blake came in here with a purpose. There was a promise the faunus had to keep.

Blake couldn't bear to meet her gaze, so she looked down at the floor.

"I'm sorry."

* * *

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	39. Friends

After the talk with Weiss, Blake headed home.

Along the way, she debated on how she should tell her girlfriend and sister about the conversation. About what she witnessed inside the Schnee home.

 _Ruby is level headed. I've no doubt that she'd feel bad for her. She has a lot of empathy. Yang on the other hand… I need to be careful. Depending on what I say, she may literally murder Weiss' father._

There was overwhelming guilt in her entire being as Blake recalled the conversation. She'd never seen Weiss like that. The normally strong-willed girl was practically begging and pleading to her to not tell anyone what she saw in order to not worry her friends.

Reluctantly, Blake shook it off. She was done living in blissful ignorance. She just wished that she didn't have to tell her girlfriend and sister to spare them some pain, but she had a promise to keep.

When Blake arrived home, she received a warm smile.

Instantly, her girlfriend wrapped her in a hug and pecked her lips.

Ruby certainly knew how to cheer her up. From the sweet contact, Blake blushed.

"Hey, my cute kitten," Ruby cooed. "How'd it go?"

"It went," was all Blake said.

She didn't want to talk about it in this open area. Especially when there was a chance her Dad or Yang could hear.

"Was it that bad?"

"No, it wasn't bad," Blake reassured. "Listen, my rose. We need to make a few… adjustments before I tell you and Yang what happened."

"Uh, okay sure," Ruby was confused from the request, but saw no reason to deny it. "Why? Are you afraid of how Yang will react?"

Golden orbs almost watered as she dipped her head, cat ears twitching at the mention of Yang. "Yeah…"

Fondly, Ruby tilted her chin up. "You can do this. _We_ can do this. I'll help you with whatever plan you have in mind. We'll have to hurry though. Yang wants to know soon."

After a small smile, Blake leaned in to press her lips on Ruby's own. The kiss was so soft and reassuring. They lingered like that for a few moments before separating.

Unable to help herself, Ruby hugged her and whispered. "I'll be with you the whole way."

At last, a genuine smile. "I know. That's why I'm comfortable doing this."

* * *

After making sure everything was prepared, Blake sat at the table in her room.

The purple wallpapers that once brought her joy were eerie.

While she waited anxiously, Ruby fetched her sister. Before Blake could calm herself, the two walked in.

"Hey, Blake," Yang greeted. "What happened? I gotta know," she asked before she even sat down.

Blake waited for the two to take their seats before replying.

"I guess I'll start by saying that I did manage to sneak into Weiss' Father's study."

Ruby gave her a soft smile. "You were successful. That's good."

From that, Blake dipped her head. It certainly didn't feel like a success.

"I'd expect nothing less from the ninja," Yang praised. "What'd you see?" she was less interested in how Blake managed to do so. Rather, more interested in what she saw. What had been troubling her.

Blake met their curious gazes. "The text she received probably just told her to come home. When I was in Weiss' room, she stayed there for about an hour until she was called to go to her Father's office. She talked with… someone," the faunus wasn't sure if she should mention Klein or not. "Their conversation was worded like Weiss had been waiting for the call."

Ruby looked skeptical from that. "He set up a meeting just to talk with his daughter?"

"That's… not normal," the blonde observed. "That's actually kinda fucked up. It's like he doesn't give her the time of day."

"Yeah, so I followed her when she left her room," Blake explained. She decided to skip the part about Klein and getting caught trespassing. "Of course, I couldn't just walk in. I found an air vent that I could squeeze in and peak inside the room."

Yang watched her with curious eyes. "You really are a ninja."

"My shadows helped give me a boost," the faunus informed. "When I crawled through the vent, I heard yelling. It was a man's voice. Definitely her father."

Yang's tone shifted lower. "He was yelling at her?"

"Yeah."

As Yang processed her words, she tried to calm herself. There was a spark of fire in her form, but she refused to let the flames take hold. She seethed in silence. Blake checked her over, making sure it was okay to continue. To encourage her, Ruby held her hand under the table.

"The conversation was something about the company," Blake revealed as she remained stiff as a board. "I wasn't focused on the details. I was too busy watching how Weiss interacted with her father. When he finished his rant about the image of the company name, it was silent for a bit. Until Weiss spoke up."

That caught Yang off guard. "She endured his yells and then retaliated?"

"She was defiant," Blake stated, showing how proud she was of the priestess. "Which is to be expected."

Yang dipped her head and mumbled to herself. "You dummy… too stubborn for your own good."

Ruby was hesitant to ask. "Then what?"

After a deep breath, Blake met both of their gazes. "He slapped her."

Silence.

All Ruby and Blake could do was look to Yang.

Yang grit her teeth and tightened her fists so much that her knuckles turned white. Lilac eyes warped red and her blonde mane emitted a calm, fiery aura like it was about to burst. The first signs of her yellow flames were beginning to spark.

Yang's tone dropped, yet it was calm, making her appear more intimidating.

"He _what_?"

For a moment, Ruby and Blake were almost too afraid to move. Like Yang would snap at any moment. Like promised, Ruby gripped Blake's hand under the table to give her courage. Knowing this was for the benefit of the team, Blake repeated herself.

"He struck her. What killed me wasn't the slap itself. It was her reaction. She ignored it like he'd done it before."

Something inside Yang _snapped._

That was all the confirmation Yang needed to stand in a fury. This caused her friends to recoil and look up at the towering, fuming girl. Her face was red and she didn't even try to suppress a snarl like a raging beast.

She'd never felt such deep loathing for another human. Scratch that. Trash. All she saw was red as her eyes warped crimson and her hair simultaneously ignited. The brawler was growling as images of the jackass of a father hitting his own daughter played in her mind. No one was allowed to so much as _touch_ her princess. Much less hit her.

The embers around her form swirled in a fury, which caused the air around her to smoke.

"I'm gonna _fucking_ kill him! No one's gonna stop me!"

With that in mind, Yang stormed to the door. She was going to the Schnee residence to teach the bastard a lesson. She was ready to fight as she slipped on her brass knuckles that were in her pockets.

Before she could reach the door, Ruby intercepted her with her arms out wide. "Yang! Stop! That won't solve anything!"

Crimson eyes narrowed as she let out a menacing growl.

"I'm only going to say this once. Get. Out. Of. My. Way."

From the challenge, silver eyes narrowed. Ruby had never seen her sister this pissed off before. Yang's entire form was a blazing inferno that caused the the wood around her to burn. All she saw was red.

Deep down, Ruby didn't know if that was a legitimate threat or not. Not caring, Ruby stood her ground. When Ruby didn't budge, Yang pounded her fists together as an intimidation tactic.

"I'm not going anywhere," Ruby stated firmly.

That was all Yang needed.

Just before Yang could push her sister to the side, Blake rapidly approached her from behind.

There a whisper behind the raging beast. "Cool off first."

There was a sudden waterfall that drenched Yang's entire form. A large puddle of water soaked the wood below. Instantly, the flames died as Yang whirled around to face the culprit with red eyes.

"What the hell?!"

Blake tightly gripped one of Yang's arms to snap her out of it. "You need to get ahold of yourself."

"Yang…" was all Ruby could whimper.

Seeing them like this caused Yang to realize that they were slightly frightened. Of her. The wetness certainly cooled her off, and after a deep breath, she closed her eyes. When they opened again, they were lilac, which relieved Ruby and Blake immensely.

"I-I'm sorry," Yang apologized, guilt in her voice.

Gently, Ruby grabbed her hand. "We want to help her, too. We can't do that if we let hatred blind us."

"You're right, Rubes. You're totally right. I'm sorry I was about to…"

"You didn't hurt me, Yang," Ruby reassured. "Even if you did get physical, I could take you, thanks to our lessons."

Knowing that was probably not true, Yang faced Blake, who set the bucket down. Of course they'd taken into account that she'd lose her temper.

"I guess it's good you had that."

"You realize you almost burned the house down, right? How the smoke detectors haven't gone off is beyond me."

"Guess we're lucky," Yang said sadly.

"Listen," Blake began. "This isn't something Weiss should handle on her own. I remember when you two were there for me when I lost my parents, so having support would help her out more than we can imagine."

It was clear that Yang wasn't happy with that statement. She'd always want to snap the bastard's neck. Instead of going to the Schnee residence, Yang decided to work off her anger in a healthy way.

She headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" Ruby asked with suspicion.

"The basement. If I can't punch the living hell outta that bastard, I'll do it on my bag."

When the door shut, the ladybug couple shared worried, relieved gazes.

* * *

There was a resounding thud in the library.

A hand overwhelmed Yang's own as it was smashed on the poor table.

Multiple gasps rang out from the sheer display of strength.

"Guess I lose," Yang said in a monotone voice. "You're the new arm wrestling champ."

It was an overdue match, but it was finally done. Yang found herself not caring about anything anymore. When Nora challenged her again, she knew from the get-go that she wouldn't even try. She lost interest.

Yang's other friends weren't even here. The ladybug pair was on a date and Weiss was probably in the piano room doing homework as usual. Nora's friends had been cheering her on, but stopped when Yang had lost the arm wrestling match.

Instead of being happy from the victory, Nora gave her a suspicious look. "I know you're not trying, Yang. That was way too easy."

Jaune, who had been watching on the sidelines, spoke up. "What's eating at you?"

Pyrrha was next to him. "We noticed you haven't been cheerful lately."

Yang let out a long sigh. "It's nothing, it's just… my partner. I can't help her."

Ren needed clarification. "Partner?"

"Uh-I- mean friend."

 _Friend_.

That word didn't feel right to her. For some reason, it felt wrong. Weiss was more than just a friend to her, right?

The information was vague, but Pyrrha nodded. "You're upset that you can't help her?"

"Yeah… it's outta my hands."

From the comment, Nora slammed her hands on the table and stood. She leaned in to get at eye level with the moping blonde. "What kind of an attitude is that?!"

"Uh…"

"It's a quitter's attitude!" Nora exclaimed as she shook her shoulders. "You need to get in there and do whatever you can! There can't possibly be _nothing_ that you can do!"

Yang only sat there as she stared into those sparkling aqua pools.

"Don't let anything stand in your way, got it?!"

The pep-talk was exactly what Yang needed. After a huff, Yang stood and gazed down at the orange-haired girl, who adorned an encouraging smile.

"Go do what you have to do," Nora beamed.

Yang nodded and gazed at all her friends.

"Thanks, guys. I mean it."

With that, Yang bolted out of the library. She was chided by the staff to walk, but she ignored them and headed to one direction.

The piano room.

* * *

 **Can someone say… incoming freezerburn?**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	40. More Than Friends

**ass. Now that we hae your attention eat at subway. Soryr wrote this when i was drunk adn ddin't feel like delting it.**

 **Sober me just read that. Yep, this stays here. P.S. drunk Shadow Nightblade is sassy.**

* * *

In peace, Weiss was able to finish her homework assignments.

The piano was by the windows, so the perfect amount of light seeped into the theater and on her papers. The keyboard was down so the papers could rest on top. She set her pencil to the side.

It was time to close her textbook. She began to pack up after a sigh.

It was a shame, she only stayed for so long because she was waiting. While also getting homework done in the process. She didn't want to leave, but she couldn't stay here all day and night. She waited long enough.

She began to pack up to leave.

Before she stood, the door opened.

The flow of calm embers shined through and melted the icy doors.

This time, Weiss left it unlocked since she'd been expecting a certain someone. Call it a gut feeling. It wasn't Blake this time. It was the exact person she wanted- no- needed to see.

The only person she'd allowed in her heart.

"Weiss."

Yang said that clearly and with conviction. To give the arrival her full attention, Weiss whirled around on the piano bench and smiled at her. It was like her wishes were answered.

"Yang."

From the greeting, Yang smiled as she took a seat next to her. Yang faced her as the two's eyes locked onto each other. For a moment, Yang broke eye contact to glance down at her wrist. Like Weiss knew that would happen, she made sure that the bangle bracelet was in full view and her wrist was white.

When her fears ebbed away, Yang met those azure pools. "Are you mad at Blake?"

Weiss perked a brow from the question. She expected as much. Undoubtedly, Blake had told Ruby and Yang about their previous conversation. About her secretive home life. It was only a matter of time before Yang confronted her about the situation.

Of course Blake told Yang about the topic. In fact, she'd been waiting for this conversation and was mentally prepared. She only kept her home life from her friends to not worry them. Now that it was out in the open, she didn't feel like she had to hide anything anymore. It felt so liberating.

"I'm not mad at her at all," Weiss reassured. "I've had some time to think this over. I really think she did the right thing. Talking about it made me feel much better."

"Oh thank god," Yang breathed in relief. "Listen, if you need anything, let me know. I'm always here for you."

"I know you are, Yang. That goes both ways," the priestess replied with a timid smile. "To be honest, the New World you introduced me to… it provides an escape from… my house," she refused to say the word 'home.' That never fit or felt right.

Despite the sorrow-filled words, Yang smiled softly as she thought about what she'd say next. "I'm glad you decided to help me out with the relics and… everything. The grimm, the danger, the support. You being my partner was the best thing that could ever happen."

On instinct, Yang gently caressed her cheek. The recollection of Weiss' father slapping her replayed in her mind. Yang wasn't there to witness it, but the image was clear as day. The touch was feather-like and silky, which caused Weiss to lean onto the fingers.

From the sensual contact, Weiss held her arm to keep it in place. For once, Yang's touch was cool instead of an overflowing warmth. This felt nice against her red skin that'd flushed. Gently, Weiss nuzzled her cheek on the soothing fingers with a soft smile.

Yang let out a friendly huff. "Such a cuddlebug."

The two shared fond gazes. Lilac and blue swirled together.

It was in that moment that Weiss realized something.

She'd always known this, but didn't quite gave it much thought since she'd always been distracted with other things. Yang had been there for her through _everything_. Even when she didn't know it. Even when she was told to 'drop it' or to leave and forget, she was there. Even if she was there in her own brutish way. The best way.

Since joining this New World, the priestess was told that she was the white light. That couldn't have been more wrong. _Yang_ was the light. At least, she was to her. Until Weiss befriended her teammates, she dwelled in darkness and isolation.

Above all, Yang's trusting hand shined in the darkness.

At first, Weiss was reluctant to accept it. She'd been so busy with other things in life she felt that she didn't have the time. However, Yang's hand was blinding. So blinding that it prompted Weiss to accept it out of curiosity.

Since then, and before then, Yang was so kind. Beautiful and selfless. Weiss had no reason not to accept the friendly hand.

The hand that was still on her cheek.

Her touch was so gentle. So gentle that it tickled. After watching the brawler annihilate endless amounts of grimm, Weiss was surprised that she could be so tender. The hands that displayed so much merciless power were so affectionate.

Just being touched by her… It brought her the ultimate joy.

"I am here," Yang said with warmth laced in her voice.

She always had been.

"I know," Weiss returned her own smile.

Time stood still for a moment.

Weiss didn't realize it, but she had leaned forward and her eyes naturally drifted shut. In response, Yang leaned forward and gingerly ensnared her lips with her own.

Their soft lips grazed each other's at first. It was like a butterfly kiss. Almost hesitant, but as they kept tasting each other, they were reassured. This is exactly what they both wanted as the kiss became firmer. More loving and more affectionate.

There was always a place for Yang inside this heart of hers.

Since Yang's hand was still on her pale cheek, Weiss grazed her fingers through the blonde hair. All while they were locked together in passionate contact. It sent calm waves through their bodies, and they resisted the urge to smile.

To Weiss, Yang tasted like how she smelled. Like lemonade.

To Yang, Weiss tasted like sweet peppermint. Like she just applied chap stick.

The calm sun's rays beamed through the windows directly on the two as they sat at the piano. The sweet kiss carried on as they scooted closer together like they couldn't get enough of each other. They simply basked in their presences as the light warmed them.

A lot of happened in this room.

This was by far the best thing. This was the shared precious moment they'd been waiting for.

After they slowly separated, the sweet sound of affection echoed in the air. Both girls adorned deep blushes from the sensual contact.

Since Yang was left to stare at the girl in front of her in awe, Weiss thought she did something wrong. It looked like Yang couldn't even form words.

"I-I'm sorry," the priestess apologized. "Was that not the right thing to do?"

Yang's mouth was hanging open as she stared at her. "Have _you_ finally gone insane?"

"I-"

Her words were cut off when Yang captured those lips with her own. It was a brief kiss. Long enough for Weiss to melt into the contact, and when Yang felt it was right, she pulled away and wrapped her in a hug.

Yang whispered in her ear. "I've wanted to do that for a long time. You really have no idea, do you?"

When Weiss met the blonde's beaming lilac gaze, she looked skeptical. "R-really? Not going to lie, I may have thought about it once or twice."

The revelation caused her cheeks to flush a deeper crimson if that was possible. From that, Yang lightly chuckled. "It might've crossed my mind a few times."

"I see…"

After Yang held her hand, she met her soft gaze. "Does this make us girlfriends?"

The priestess huffed lightly. "What do you think?"

"It was a matter of time before the sass came back," Yang said jokingly. "It was nice while it lasted."

"Hey!"

"Kissing seems to mellow you out," the blonde commented.

"S-so what if it does?" Weiss looked away as the red never left her cheeks.

Yang giggled from her reaction and squeezed her hand. "Let's go to my place. Dad's been wanting to see you, and Ruby and Blake are going to want to know what happened. Might as let them know together, right?"

At first, Weiss appeared hesitant. That's when she got a defiant expression and hesitantly broke hand-holding contact. Yang was concerned from that. Until Weiss yanked her phone out of her skirt pocket.

"I don't mean to be rude. I need to text Klein my whereabouts, and then we can go."

From the foreign name, Yang tilted her head like a puppy. "Who?"

Her question caused Weiss to be taken aback. There was a brief appearance of confusion on Weiss' face. That's when she realized that Blake withheld that information from the sisters. The faunus looked out for her in her own way, which touched her even more.

Weiss was more than happy to tell her about her precious butler.

"Klein's the man who raised me," Weiss informed with a smile.

"Oh," Yang said. "Tell him I said hi!"

When Weiss was done texting, she slid her phone in her pocket. "You can tell him that yourself one day."

"I'd really like that, princess."

"Me too, brute."

After they exchanged smiles, they stood together.

In unison, they each grasped the other's hand.

Since it was at the same time, their blushes deepened as they headed to the door with overflowing joy.

* * *

"We're home~"

The moment the doors opened, that grabbed any nearby people's attention.

The call of her familiar voice made Ruby dart around the corner. "We?"

Her question was answered when she saw Yang and Weiss holding hands in the doorway. From the sight, silver eyes widened the size of shining dinner plates. She cupped her hands over her mouth and let out a heavy scream.

"Blaaaaaaaake!"

As if she was waiting to be called, Blake appeared a second later. When she noticed that Yang and Weiss were holding hands with faint blushes, she gave a small huff. "It's about time."

"Is someone at the door-"

Taiyang stopped talking when he took in the sight. There was no mistaking it. The blushes were deeper than Ruby's cape as his daughter and the white-haired girl held hands. Intrigued, Tai set the corgi on the floor and approached them with a mischievous grin.

"Well?" he asked, expectant.

From his reaction, Weiss almost flinched. For a moment, she thought that he was upset since she kind of stole his precious daughter.

"Well what?" Yang asked as she held up their hands in emphasis. "We're together. Girlfriends!"

Tai gave them a nod of acknowledgment before turning around to face the ladybug pair. "It's about time," he jokingly pointed behind himself and at the new couple.

Blake nodded in agreement. "That's what I said."

The freezerburn pair absorbed their reactions. In disbelief, Weiss scoffed.

"Was everyone aware the feeling was mutual except us?"

Ruby couldn't stifle her giggles. "Pretty much."

She'd never seen people so oblivious in her life. Well, except herself. She was kind of dense when it came to Blake's feelings. At least they finally got together.

Taiyang whirled around to face the new couple. "Better late than never, I guess. In case you can't tell, I approve," he looked to Weiss. "I trust you won't hurt her," he looked to Yang. "I trust you won't hurt her as well."

Since Yang was his daughter, he had to address her. And since Weiss was like his daughter, he addressed her as well. He didn't want to see either of them hurt since he cherished both.

Politely, Weiss dipped her head. "Thank you, Taiyang."

When she lowered her head, she noticed the panting corgi by her feet. She was surprised that she failed to notice him. The conversation definitely caused her to be in a fluster. She let out a gasp, happy to see the eager dog.

"Hello there, Zwei," Weiss chirped. "Who's a good boy?"

A bark.

"Who's a gooooooood boy?"

More barks. Zwei was wagging his tail so fast that his entire body was swinging side to side.

To tease her, Ruby lifted the dog off the floor. In a high-pitched voice, she squeaked. "I'm a good boy. I'm a goooooood boy!" in response, Zwei licked her cheek. "It's me, Weissy! I'm the good boy."

"Dolt," Weiss replied fondly.

After a laugh, Ruby handed the corgi to her friend. Immediately, Weiss nuzzled the giddy corgi as she held him. When he licked her cheek, there was a high-pitched giggle. She was more bubbly than she normally was with the dog. Definitely because of Yang.

Tai gave the freezerburn couple a knowing grin, and he stared at Yang. "I bet you finally got together is because of all those workouts you put them through," he held out a fist.

Happily, Yang fist-bumped him and crossed her arms in victory. "Oh, you have no idea."

After Tai chuckled, he pointed over at the table. "Food's on the table. There's plenty so grab whatever Ruby and Blake haven't already eaten."

"Eheh," Ruby chuckled nervously. "Sorry, I ate all the strawberries."

"We'll live," Yang replied. "Thanks, Dad."

"No problem, little sun dragon."

With that, Tai slipped into the kitchen to resume washing the dishes.

"You guys came home right on time," Ruby commented happily. "Blake and I were about to watch a movie if you wanna join us."

"Let them have their space," Blake advised evenly. "They're a new couple. They probably want to be alone, right?"

Weiss just shrugged and looked to Yang. "I don't care what we do. It's really up to you."

"Uh great," Yang whined teasingly. "You're going to be the indecisive one in this relationship."

"Hey!"

"Every relationship has one," Ruby couldn't help but agree. "Blake's kinda indecisive when it comes to dates and stuff, but I don't care what we do as long as I'm with her."

That caused a blush to form on the faunus' cheeks.

"How about..." Yang began in a bargaining tone. "We go to my room for Netflix and chill?"

"Yang!" Weiss yelped.

"I'm kidding, kidding!" the blonde waved her hands in emphasis. "In all seriousness, I just wanna talk to you about a few things and would rather not talk over your movie," she faced the ladybug pair.

Blake rolled her eyes and mumbled under her breath. "Talk. Right."

The brawler ignored the comment and faced her girlfriend. "What'dya say?"

"As long as you're not a bumbling brute the whole time, I suppose it would be acceptable."

Fondly, Yang grasped her hand. "That's the best I'll get, huh?"

"Yes," Weiss returned the smile.

With that, the freezerburn pair headed up the stairs.

"We'll be down here if you need us," Blake called up.

"We won't need you," Yang called back.

"Rude."

At last, they'd made it to Yang's room. It was a nice feeling as they walked inside. The last time Weiss was in this room, she got to brush her girlfriend's silky hair. Like last time, the room was clean, leading Weiss to believe that her girlfriend normally kept it this way.

"The couch is wide open," Yang pointed to the small sofa in the middle of the room. "There's movies under the T.V. Do you think you can decide on one?"

"Of course," Weiss replied absentmindedly.

She was already on the floor, sifting through the options. Yang sure had a lot of movies. Probably around two dozen. All of them ranged in genres. Weiss half-expected Yang to own only action movies, which left her pleasantly surprised. There was a good variety.

There was a yell from downstairs. Sounded like Ruby.

"Yaaaaaaaang!"

Definitely Ruby.

Yang groaned in annoyance. The only way to shut her sister up was to go see what was wrong.

"Go to your sister," Weiss advised. "The dolt must need something."

"I'll be right back. And before you ask, yes. I'm fine with any movie as long as I get to spend time with my beautiful girlfriend."

That caused Weiss to intensely blush. Before she could reply, the door shut. It was clear that Yang didn't want to leave her for long as she rapidly headed downstairs to see what the problem was.

"Rubes, what do you… want…"

Yang had been expecting a real issue. Not _this_. Ruby was on the couch with a DVD in her lap as she sat next to Blake. Ruby was loosely clinging to the faunus, who had her arms crossed. She was being bothered, but didn't mind the touch one bit.

"Blake doesn't wanna watch Dolphin Tale. Help me change her mind."

"I told you," Blake began with a frown. "Seeing so many fish makes me hungry!"

Yang scoffed from the petty argument. "For the love of- can't you pick something you both agree on?"

Ruby gave her girlfriend those irresistible puppy dog eyes. "Would that make you happy?"

Seeing Ruby like that caused Blake's heart to melt. "We can watch it. I'll just… drool the whole time."

"What? Really?" Ruby asked in exasperation. "I don't mind if we pick a different one."

"Apparently you do since you called me to come down here!" Yang yelled in frustration.

Blake gave in with a smile. "Let's just watch it. You've been wanting to see it for a long time."

Ruby pecked her blushing girlfriend on the lips. From that, Blake smiled.

"You're the best!" Ruby chirped.

"More like the worst," Yang muttered. While she headed upstairs, she shook her head. "Unbelievable."

"Thanks, Yang!" Ruby called. "You were a great help!"

"The dolphin dies!" Yang yelled down jokingly.

Ruby covered her ears. "Shut up, shut up, that can't be true!"

Still grumbling, Yang opened the door to her room. Her girlfriend wasn't by the television where she last saw her.

"Hey, Weiss?"

Yang gazed around and found her by one of her cabinets that'd been knocked over. It was sideways on the floor as she gazed at it in confusion. Weiss stood next to it with the widest grin. From Yang's arrival, Weiss faced her.

"Uh," Yang mumbled, trying to grasp the scene. "What're you doing?

"The drawer _*hic*_ went tippy!"

It was then that Yang caught sight of an open bottle of her favorite spiced rum on her desk. All of it was gone. Any suspicions that Yang had in that moment were confirmed.

"Oh my god."

* * *

 ***Port's voice* Oho! This'll be an interesting next chapter, huh?**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	41. There's So Much Love

"Oh my god."

Reality drew in on Yang as she examined the scene. One of her cabinets had been knocked over. It was sideways on the floor. Weiss stood next to it with the widest grin.

There was the unmistakable sight of an open bottle right next to Weiss. It was Yang's favorite spiced rum that was supposed to be hidden and out of view. It was just a small part of her secret stash of alcoholic drinks.

The entire bottle was empty. Not a measly sip remained. That alone would be more than enough to intoxicate someone of her petite size. Weiss' face was redder than a cherry. Her azure orbs were hazy as she gazed at the shocked blonde.

"Why're you _*hic*_ looking at me like that? You're so silly!"

Worried, Yang rushed to her side. "Are you okay?"

"I feel funny but otherwisssse _*hic*_ fine."

To be sure, Yang picked up the empty bottle of Captain Morgan and examined it. _She drank all of this?! It's 17 percent!_

"I leave you alone for not even five minutes-"

She stopped herself from talking when Weiss curled in closely to her. Small arms wrapped her in a hug, something Yang couldn't resist. Unable to help herself, Yang returned the embrace as she traced soothing circles on her back.

"Ah, I can't get mad at the cuddlebug."

A small hiccup. Yang felt the slight vibration.

"You're always so warm," Weiss cooed. "L-like a warm plate of hassssh browns."

"Interesting comparison, I'll take it," the blonde grinned and used a soft voice as she gazed into misty blue eyes. "Hey, what were you thinkin'? Do you know what you drank?"

"Uhhh," Weiss drawled out after a hiccup. "Blakey told me how much she looooooves Captain Morgan. Whoever that is. I thought he was tea or something cuz she loooooves tea."

Yang was left speechless.

"I know," Weiss pointed to herself proudly. "I'm _*hic*_ ssssuper smart. Nooo need to say it."

Yang let out a soft sigh. It was true that the faunus loved tea. However, spiced rum was Blake's favorite alcoholic drink. Which is why Yang had a bottle. The two had similar tastes.

The poor girl didn't know what hit her and probably told herself that it was tea without reading the label.

Yang separated from the hug and placed her hands on the shorter girl's shoulders. "You can be more innocent than Rubes sometimes, you know that?"

Like Weiss viewed her girlfriend as a goddess, her mouth hung open. Jokingly, Yang placed a finger under her chin to close it, but it opened again.

"You're so _*hic*_ pretty!" the priestess exclaimed genuinely. "I bet you get that a lot. Can I have your number?"

"My own girlfriend is hitting on me," Yang said mainly to herself in satisfaction. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't amused. "You have my number, princess."

"Prin- * _hic*_ -cess?" Weiss tilted her head in confusion. This reminded Yang of a cute snow fox. "Does th-that mean you're the dragun?"

Yang mocked a bow. "If you'd be oh so kind to grace me with the honorary title."

"You're so silly," Weiss replied with a giggle, booping Yang's nose.

When Yang jokingly bowed, the priestess gently set a cautious hand on her hair. This caused Yang to be careful when she leaned back upright. However, she had nothing to worry about when Weiss used feather-like touches.

"S'always so soft," even when Weiss was out of it, she was gentle with the tresses. It was like she was a baby exploring the world around her. "C-can I brush it _*hic*_ again?"

Yang was taken aback by the request, but saw no reason to deny her. "Only if you want to."

"Yes!" Weiss exclaimed in victory. "Hold _*hic*_ on. I hafta find something to use."

"Don't worry 'bout a thing. I gotcha."

While her drunken girlfriend searched the floor for a brush like she was on a mission, Yang sauntered over her desk to retrieve it. Before she could reach it, there was a loud sound. Like paws on the closed door. In response, Yang froze in place as she watched her girlfriend's face light up.

Weiss' eyes widened, and she would've gasped, but a hiccup interrupted her. "Zweeeeei!"

Without missing a beat, the priestess bolted for the door.

"Zwei!" Yang called sternly. "Dash!"

"Don't dash, doggy!" Weiss yelped with glee. "Lemme love you!"

Dash was a command that Yang taught the corgi when she was little. Yang wanted Zwei to get away from her drunk girlfriend. Not because she didn't trust her, but because Zwei may not be able to handle that much affection and attention. Even if he was the most caring dog the world could offer.

From his owner's command, Zwei darted down the stairs as the door behind him flew open.

"C'mere sweet booooooy!"

Somehow, Weiss managed to pursue the dog safely down the stairs. In a rush, Yang bolted after intoxicated girlfriend.

"Weiss!" the blonde called worriedly. "Slow down!"

 _Oh no,_ the blonde thought. _We have a loose drunk Weiss in the house. Please don't get hurt, please don't get hurt._

"Not until _*hic*_ I give him tons'a kisssssies!"

Ruby and Blake's cuddle session was interrupted when they watched their dog dart across the carpet. Confused, the ladybug pair leaned up in the chair as they listened to the commotion and loud footsteps. Weiss followed soon after and stumbled a bit before locking onto her target again.

"Zweeeei! C'mere _*hic*_ booooy!"

From her strange behavior, Ruby was worried. "Weiss?"

Cat ears flicked wildly as Yang appeared in the room. Suspecting what was going on, Blake glared at Yang. "What happened?"

Before Yang could answer, Weiss slipped on the wooden floor in the kitchen. She landed on her rear and let out a grunt. To make sure she was okay, Zwei lovingly licked her face, which elicited giggles.

In a rush, the three bolted into the kitchen. Only to meet Taiyang's terribly confused expression as Weiss hugged the corgi on the floor.

Unfortunately, Taiyang didn't catch her on time. Even though she was giggling like a schoolgirl, Tai wanted to make sure she was fine. He knelt next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. This grabbed her attention as she hazily gazed up at him.

"Weiss?" Taiyang used a soft voice. "Are you okay?"

"Tai! Hi!" Weiss greeted with recognition. "Oops _*hic*_ that rhymed."

It didn't take long for Taiyang to realize what was wrong. Her whole face was red, and she was giggling from her own joke. Most telling, her breath reeked of alcohol. It's not like Weiss had her own alcohol, but he had a few ideas on where she obtained it.

Knowing what the reason was, he glared up at his oldest daughter. "Yang-"

Whatever he was going to say never left his lips when Weiss pulled him in for a hug. Her arms couldn't wrap all the way around his broad back. Not knowing what to do, Tai froze in place.

"Such a cuddle bug," Yang chimed as she watched the scene with a wide smile.

"I love you, Tai!" Weiss declared for the world to hear. Even though she was intoxicated, they knew she meant it.

Touched, Ruby dramatically placed a hand over her heart.

Happily, Taiyang returned the hug. Although he was still concerned, he said with sincerity. "I love you too, Weiss."

 _This is the most precious thing I've ever seen,_ Yang thought. She melted from the sight.

Taiyang spoke calmly. "We're going to stand now, okay?"

"O _*hic*_ kay."

With permission, Taiyang helped her to her feet. Weiss was wobbly at first, but managed to steady herself before Tai could try.

Knowingly, Taiyang placed his hands on his hips, looking directly at the other three girls. "Care to explain?"

"I left her for like five minutes!" Yang yelped. "If Ruby didn't call me down to solve their stupid problem, she wouldn't be like this!"

Ruby's jaw dropped. "Way to throw me under the bus!"

"What?" Taiyang asked for clarification.

"At one point, Blake told her about how good Captain Morgan is," Yang explained, which caught the faunus' attention.

On occasion, Taiyang allowed his daughters to drink. He was aware that Yang and Blake had their own stashes in their rooms and were responsible with it. Ruby on the other hand had no interest in drinking, although she was allowed with permission.

While they talked, Weiss' giggles filled the room as she played with Zwei.

"Weiss knows that Blake likes tea," Yang continued to explain. "So she assumed that Blake was talking about that and not alcohol. When she found the bottle in my room she decided to have… several sips."

"How much?" Tai asked, afraid of the answer.

"It may or may not have been the whole bottle."

"Shit," Taiyang couldn't bite back the curse. "One bottle will do it for her." Instead of being mad at Yang for having alcohol, Tai chided her for another reason. "You really need to hide your stuff better."

 _Aw man,_ Yang thought. _Hopefully the hangover won't be too bad._

To test the waters, Ruby poked Weiss' shoulder. Like she had no sense of balance, Weiss tipped backward directly into the unsuspecting Blake. In response, Weiss let out a squeal as Blake stumbled a bit from catching her.

 _Nevermind,_ the blonde thought, feeling guilty. _It'll be awful._

With great care, Blake steadied her. "Careful," she breathed and glanced at Ruby. "Don't do that."

"I just wanted to see how bad it was," Ruby whispered. "It's bad."

Yang glared at her little sister. "Ya don't say."

"Thaaanksss for the _*hic*_ save!" Weiss stated happily. When she gazed at the faunus, glassy azure eyes widened like she was looking at a fantastic piece of art.

Blake looked at her curiously, wondering why Weiss was beaming like a child directly at her. "Can I help you-"

"Blaaaake! Your ears are so _*hic*_ cute! I wish t-they were out oftener. They're alwayz under that bow."

Before Blake could even react, Weiss had reached for the furry appendages. Instead of recoiling, Blake was stiff as she let her rub them. She was surprisingly tender with her touch. Her friends watched with worry that she'd yank on them, but Weiss was only grazing them.

"They're so _*hic*_ fluffy!" Weiss exclaimed. "Kinda like the small beewulf grimmies."

That comment caused Tai to be taken aback. "The what?"

"That's enough outta you," Yang quickly grabbed her hand and slowly dragged her into the living room, careful to watch for a stumble.

"Are we _*hic*_ going on a-ad-adventure?"

"Yep," the blonde replied, popping the 'p.' "An adventure to the living room!"

"Oh, that sounds like fun!"

While Ruby and Blake followed, Tai called after them.

"I'll get her some bread and water!"

"Okay, thanks!" Ruby replied for them.

Carefully, Yang coaxed the priestess to sit on the couch. "Sit right there where I can see you," after that, she sat next to her girlfriend and held her hand as if to keep her in place.

Unamused, Weiss glanced around. "Was that it?"

"For now," the blonde offered a smile. "We can't have you getting tired for what's in store!"

Weiss let out a small gasp. "You're right!"

While the freezerburn pair sat on the sofa, the ladybug couple stood in front of them, amused by the events.

"Hey, Weiss?" Blake called as her cat ears leaned back. "Does Klein know that you're here?"

"Mhhmmm," she replied. "I texted him."

To make sure, the faunus gazed at Yang, who nodded in affirmation. "She did."

"Okay, that's good," Blake said softly. "She shouldn't go home like this."

"I love Klein!" Weiss proclaimed, which caused her friends to grin.

Yang squeezed her hand. "Do ya?"

"Yeah!" the priestess confirmed. "He's suuuper nice and _*hic*_ loves me!"

Ruby set a hand on her shoulder. "We love you, too."

Like she just learned that, Weiss gasped like that was the first time she realized that as she gazed at her friends. "There's so much love in this room oh god-" she was beginning to get emotional. Tears almost spilled over as her friends stifled giggles. To receive comfort, Yang squeezed her hand, which grabbed her attention.

Entranced by the blonde next to her, Weiss grabbed her arm. "Hey, my sweet sugar waffle?"

This caused the girls to lightly giggle.

From their reactions, Weiss slurred. "S-shuddup!"

"Don't make fun of her guys," Yang said, trying not to laugh. "What is it, my princess?"

"Tell _*hic*_ tell me a pun~"

Ruby accusingly pointed at the red-faced girl. "I knew you secretly liked them!"

"Everyone loves the puns," Yang said knowingly. "Whether you want to acknowledge it or not."

"Sugaaar waffle~" impatient, Weiss sang and shook her hand.

 _Oh my god,_ Yang thought. _How's she so cute?_

"Alright, alright. I got one. How about…" Yang held her chin in thought. "You're the most beautiful girl in the world."

Weiss looked unamused and unimpressed by that. Like she was in one of Oobleck's lectures. "T-that wasn't a pun."

"That was a fact," Yang pointed out.

"Facts are boring I wanna plun!"

Blake was beginning to get a headache. "Can we please not do this."

Yang cleared her throat to fulfill her girlfriend's request. "Do you think people who climb Mount Everest… _ever rest_?"

Instantly, Weiss erupted into laughter. "D-did you just think'a that?"

"I have a few for back up," Yang informed with a smile.

"But why?"

Blake chimed in, annoyed. "Yes, Yang. Why?"

"Moi is the pun master," the blonde proudly pointed to herself. "Gotta have a few up to bat."

Ruby groaned. "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

"Don't be a mean cherry," Weiss instantly replied.

This earned several unexpected laughs.

Blake's shoulders were heaving. "Why cherry?"

"Cuz she's red, duh."

"You're redder than her right now," Blake pointed out.

"Sssssshuddup."

Ruby accepted the nickname with pride. "You have so much sass."

Yang squeezed her girlfriend's overheated hand. "It's amplified when she's drunk."

Just then, Taiyang rounded a corner with some Hawaiian bread rolls and an icy glass of water.

"Here, she's going to need this."

Carefully, he gave the food and water to Yang.

"Make sure she gets lots of sleep. I doubt she'll be able to go to school tomorrow."

Weiss waved off the worried Tai. "I-I can make it. It'll be fiiiine."

"We'll see," Tai replied, his tone suggesting he highly doubted she'd even be able to crawl out of bed. With that, the man left the room and left the four to care for the drunken girl.

With a roll in hand, Yang sang. "Open wide~"

"No!" Weiss pushed the bread away. "Bread's _*hic*_ gross. I want my sugar waffle."

"Aw," Yang cooed, knowing that was her new nickname. She felt oddly flattered that the only thing Weiss seemed to gravitate to besides Zwei was herself.

Yang should've known her girlfriend would be the stubborn type. She had to get some food and water in her or the hangover would be excruciating.

To help, Ruby knelt to get at eye level with Weiss, who hiccuped. "If you have just one roll," she gestured the number one with a finger. "You can have your…" she tried not to snicker. "Sugar waffle."

"Promissse?" Weiss asked innocently.

Yang squeezed her hand. "Promise, princess."

Willingly, Weiss nibbled on the roll.

And hiccuped.

She was going to need a lot more bread.

* * *

 **I think it's safe to say we needed that after those last few heavy chapters. Drunk Weiss is literally me drunk so if you don't like her I'd feel personally attacked.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	42. The Inevitable Hangover

It took awhile but at last, Weiss had fallen asleep on Yang's side.

Her breathing had been rhythmic and soft as Yang wrapped her arms around her girlfriend.

Before she fell asleep, Yang tried her best to get as much bread and water in her system as possible. She didn't get her girlfriend to eat as much as she'd preferred, but it was still something. Hopefully by morning, her system would absorb most of the sustenance to lessen the pain of the inevitable hangover.

Since it was late, Ruby and Blake had gone up to bed. Before, they stayed and helped Yang convince the drunken Weiss to eat. Weiss was stubborn at first, but eventually grew tired of arguing. After they succeeded and got her to eat, the ladybug pair retreated upstairs, leaving the freezerburn couple in the living room.

Every now and then Taiyang would check on them. He realized that Yang had the situation under control and left it up to her.

Some random romantic comedy was playing that Weiss had eagerly picked.

At first, Weiss was giggling like a schoolgirl from what seemed like every line. Even the overly cheesy ones. To Yang, it was nice to see her girlfriend so carefree for once. It was liberating. Especially after all the stressful events that happened the last few days.

Fondly, Yang scooted closer to Weiss. After she turned off the T.V., she gently nudged her and whispered.

"Hey, sleepyhead?"

From her voice, Weiss didn't even flinch. Her girlfriend was out cold. Not that Yang was surprised. It was only a matter of time before she crashed from consuming that much alcohol.

 _I'm sorry you got so hammered. It was definitely an interesting side of you I got to see,_ Yang thought. _I loved it. Learning more about you is the best. And I get to see your cute face like this to boot~_

Carefully, Yang scooped a hand under her knees and wrapped one around her back.

"Up we go."

Lifting her bridal style was effortless as she headed up the stairs. After she entered her room, Yang gently laid Weiss on the bed. With a smile, Yang bundled the cozy blankets around her girlfriend in a burrito.

"There we go. Snug as a bug in a rug."

Lovingly, Yang wiped away the white bangs and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. She lingered there for a moment, unable to take her eyes off her angel's resting face as the calm moonlight seeped in the dark room.

There was an overflowing feeling of affection in that moment.

"I… I..."

Yang stopped herself and shook her head to clear her thoughts.

 _That can wait for another time._

Carefully, she adjusted her head so it was firmly on the fluffy pillow.

After she made sure her girlfriend was comfy, Yang grabbed some extra blankets from the closet and sprawled them out on her couch. She wanted so badly to sleep next to her girlfriend, but the last thing she wanted was for Weiss to get the wrong idea.

Tomorrow, she'd probably wake up with a headache and that'd only get worse if she found her girlfriend nuzzling next to her with no recollection of what happened the night before.

Deep down, Yang knew that Weiss wouldn't mind it.

But she was still worried that she'd cross a line, or maybe even possibly cause Weiss to think that she'd been taken advantage of while she was incapacitated. That was Yang's worst nightmare, so she wasn't going to take the smallest chance. Even when the two trusted each other wholeheartedly. With their lives.

Being in the same room… sleeping in the same room… that was enough. The realization caused Yang's heart to smile. It felt so right. She wondered if she'd feel this way times a thousand if she was cuddling with her in bed.

Yang yawned and laid down, adjusting the blankets on top of her. It was getting late.

Despite being tired, she tried to process any arguments she could use against her girlfriend when she inevitably tries to go to school with them. Her girlfriend was smart, but hopefully the hangover would disrupt any intelligent thought processes she may have to retort the blonde's arguments.

Even if Weiss did go to school tomorrow, Yang told herself that she'd carefully watch out for her. More than she normally did.

A small smile formed as she drifted to slumber.

* * *

The school bell rang, releasing the students to their lockers.

As expected, Weiss fought tooth and nail to attend. Even when she woke up with a raging headache that was becoming a migraine.

Taiyang and her friends tried to reason with her, but she wouldn't have it. When Weiss saw her friends getting ready for school earlier that morning, she wanted to go. Missing classes would only be a hassle in the long run, so Weiss decided to suck it up. Plus, she didn't want to be a burden to Tai. Even though that was impossible.

After she shut her locker, she groaned. The lights were too bright. People were too noisy. She leaned onto her locker, cursing herself for being in this cramped hallway.

"Don't fear," Yang's voice beamed. "Your sugar waffle is here."

Weiss felt like a fool for thinking that spice rum was tea.

Her head was pounding as she placed a hand on her forehead. "Goodness gracious…"

She regretted everything.

When Weiss turned to face her girlfriend, Yang slid a pair of sunglasses over her face. This caught her off guard, but now the light was far less blinding and irritating. Wearing sunglasses in school? That was a little odd. Then again, Weiss was too tired and in too much pain to care.

"Better?"

The priestess let out a sigh of relief, her eyes almost able to open completely. "Better."

"You did the same for me, remember?" Yang recalled. "When I got that horrible migraine."

Weiss only nodded, which caused the pounding to increase louder like a gong.

When her girlfriend flinched, Yang placed a hand on her back. "You can go home. Or my place. Dad wouldn't mind and Oz would let it slide."

"Oh yeah, Oz," Weiss said bitterly. "My girlfriend accidentally got drunk and has a killer hangover. Can she go home?"

Yang weighed her words and thought of another idea. "Glyn can convince him."

The priestess sighed. "I have one more class. I'll stick it out until then."

"You sure?"

Touched that her girlfriend cared so much, Weiss gingerly set her hand on her cheek. "I'm sure."

Fondly, Yang grasped her arm to keep it in place. "Okay, if you need anything, tell me."

A hum of acknowledgment.

A familiar, high-pitched voice joined the conversation.

"I really don't want to interrupt, but…"

Lazily, Yang and Weiss glanced around to find Ruby. The red-hooded girl was holding up her backpack. On top of it was a squirming, small goliath. Ruby was smart and wanted people to think that she was holding her backpack rather than visibly struggling to hold up nothing.

While Ruby held up the grimm, Blake was trying to keep it still.

"... we have a surprise," Ruby finished with a dry laugh.

The last thing she wanted to do was bring a grimm to her friend. Especially when Weiss was hungover, but she couldn't just leave it to roam around the school!

Yang was shocked. The last thing she expected today was to find a grimm. It'd been clear recently. "Where'd you find it?"

"Behind the toilet. It was stuck," Ruby informed with a cringe. "You did say there could be several more after one popped in front of Oobleck."

"Ah, true."

To get this over with, Weiss lifted a hand over the small grimm. Only for it to be lowered.

"Woah, hold up," Yang said worriedly. "You sure you're good for this?"

Weiss pushed up the sunglasses that slid down. "We can't leave it."

Hating that her girlfriend was right, Yang allowed her to purify it. There was the familiar spark of small light, and then the grimm bellowed before withering away. Like it was never there, Ruby swung her backpack around her back.

"Thanks. Sorry about that," Ruby said.

The throbbing in Weiss' head increased tenfold as a bead of sweat rolled down her face. "If you find any more, bring them to me."

Ruby mocked a salute. "Aye, aye."

Blake gazed at the sunglasses. "How're you holding up?"

"Do you have to ask?" Weiss retorted. The warning bell rang and her friends gave her concerned glances. "I'll be in the teacher's lounge."

"Okay," Blake conceded, glad that she would rest for a bit. "Try to relax before your next class."

Since Weiss had gotten most of her credits out of the way, she had an extra free period. Thank god. She didn't think she'd be able to handle the various chatters or typical sounds of the school any longer.

Yang grasped her hand for a moment before letting go. "I'll come get you."

"Alright."

It was clear that she was trying to say as few words as possible. Her three teammates watched her walk down the hall before heading to their classes.

Luckily, there was no one in the teacher's lounge. Usually there was at least one other person. There was even coffee that was already made. Needing the fuel to keep going, Weiss poured some in her snowflake mug. She slowly took a few sips before a sudden screech almost caused her to drop the cup.

The priestess whirled around, which caused her head to throb more from the sudden movement. She groaned in frustration, and groaned in annoyance when she saw what caused the noise.

Another mini goliath.

Great.

The elephant grimm was trampling around the vending machines. Almost like it wanted the food inside. Knowing what she had to do, Weiss set the mug on the counter and approached it as she backed it into a corner. She dragged out the littlest amount of aura for the small grimm and that white spark ignited.

The next moment, the shrieking grimm was gone. Weiss lowered her arm as she let out a sigh.

She was so tired. Her head was pounding. Using her purification abilities only made it worse. She just wanted to sit down. There was a sofa in the center of the room. She'd always used it. Maybe she could sit for a bit. No one would mind. She did practically every day. And no one was here. It's not like she was bothering anyone.

Determined to lessen the horrid poundings, she sat on the couch. It was really comfy. Comfier than she remembered. She sank into the cushioned seat as her head tilted back.

It didn't take long for her eyelids to drift shut.

A few minutes later, the door opened.

Glynda Goodwitch sauntered in the room with a clipboard. There was the distinct smell of coffee, but no Ozpin. It didn't take her long to notice that Weiss Schnee of all people was resting on the couch. That was odd enough to raise alarm bells, but was her student wearing sunglasses?

Cautiously, Glynda approached and experimentally poked her. "Ms. Schnee?" When that didn't work, she used her first name. "Weiss?"

Still no reaction. Curious, the professor tilted down her student's sunglasses. As she suspected, her eyes were closed.

From that, Goodwitch had a million questions. Why the hell was her star student leisurely asleep in the teacher's lounge like she didn't have a care in the world? After a sigh, Glynda stood and pulled out her phone.

The professor pulled up the Snapchat app and took a picture of the snoozing girl. She captioned the image "is this yours?" and sent it to Yang. After that, Goodwitch waited patiently and sat on the couch across the dozing girl, not keen on leaving her student alone.

Not even a minute later, Yang busted into the room. Glynda didn't expect her to come so soon since she was supposed to be in class.

Glynda was shocked. "Don't you have class right now?"

"Don't you have papers to grade?" Yang retorted as she rushed over to her girlfriend. "And yeah, she's technically mine now. What happened?"

Glynda shrugged. "I came in as usual and saw her. She's fast asleep. I should be asking you what happened. God knows this was your fault."

Yang flinched from the accusation and gently caressed those white bangs. "It was my fault," she admitted, sparing the details. "Please don't tell anyone."

"She's hungover, isn't she?" Goodwitch asked bluntly with an unamused look.

Seeing there was no point in lying, Yang cringed. "Yeah."

Glynda placed a hand on her forehead like she was getting a headache. "Do I want to know?"

"Believe it or not, it was an accident."

Knowing her star student, it more than likely was an accident.

"Alright," Glynda began. "We have to move her. If anyone besides Oz sees her like this, there'll be consequences."

Yang perked up from that. "To the infirmary?"

"Yes," Glynda stood with conviction. "Leave the nurse to me."

"Thanks a bunch, Goodbitch."

"Watch it."

* * *

 **Hangovers are the WOAT!**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	43. Game Faces

It'd been a whole day since Weiss recovered fully from her hangover.

For the most part, the incessant teasing provided by her friends had dwindled. Although, she knew that she'd never live it down, and that this was something they'd never in a million years forget.

Who accidentally gets drunk?

After learning that Glynda was the one who found her napping in the teacher's lounge, Weiss was mortified. Yang reassured her over and over that the professor didn't mind and even found it amusing. It was odd to watch Goodwitch teach when that happened so recently.

Her teacher of all people knew about her hangover.

She'd never live this down. Even if her friends stopped the teasing, she certainly wouldn't forget it.

Weiss sighed as she placed a hand under her chin.

Currently, team RWBY was in Goodwitch's class listening to her lecture. Since they'd just had a test a few days ago, there was a small resting period and it was back to get on track. This next unit had been about dihybrid crosses and punnet squares so far. Simple things for now. Things would undoubtedly get more difficult in the future.

After Ms. Goodwitch sauntered over to her desk, she lifted a mountain of papers.

"May I get a volunteer to pass these out?"

Only Weiss' hand shot up, but Glynda ignored it since she always volunteered. It was time for someone new. The professor stared directly at Yang with her arms crossed. This earned a wry smile from her student.

"Ms. Xiao Long, thank you for volunteering."

"Aw, come on," Yang grumbled in annoyance.

"Yang," came Ruby's whisper behind her. "Just do it."

While mumbling in irritation, Yang stood. It took all her willpower to not call Glynda by any of her nicknames. Yang stopped herself, knowing that it was inappropriate in front of the entire class.

Next to her was Jaune, who also stood with his hand raised. "I'll help too."

"Thank you, Mr. Arc," Glynda said as she split the stack of papers in half.

The professor happily gave the stacks to the blondes and slipped away to her desk. She had a few things to check over before she continued the lecture. For now, her students deserve a break, so she let them to chat while the tests were being handed out.

The previous soft sigh didn't go missed by Blake's keen cat ears. Concerned, Blake tapped Weiss' shoulder to get her attention. When the priestess turned around to face her, the faunus asked. "You finally feel a hundred percent?"

"Yes," Weiss gave her a genuine smile. "Thank you for your concern. Again, sorry about that."

Blake stifled an amused chuckle. "I can't believe you fell asleep in the teacher's lounge. That's such a Ruby thing to do."

Since Ruby was directly next to her girlfriend, she heard the entire conversation. From the comment, she shrugged in agreement. "Those couches are comfy. I can see why you'd want to take a nap on it."

From the recollection, Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose. "Can we please not talk about this?"

Ruby sent her a grin. "Yeah, sure. Just saying, we don't blame you."

Weiss groaned in annoyance. Before Blake could chime in, Yang appeared by their sides with the stack of papers.

"Here ya go, Rubes!" Yang chirped giddily. "Nice work."

Eager, Ruby snatched the paper. She'd been worried about what she got on the previous test. Her fears ebbed away when she read the red number and percentage in the top right corner.

After Yang handed her sister the graded test, she went back to finish the job. She still had a few more papers, and so did Jaune, who just handed one to Scarlet.

It was true Ruby was happy with her grade, but there was always room for improvement in her eyes. "Aw. Another 89?"

It was Weiss' turn to stifle a laugh. "Isn't that the third one this week?"

"Yeah," Ruby sighed in defeat. "Guess I'm a pro at getting 89's now. Just one more point and it would've been an A!"

"There, there," under the table, Blake grasped her hand by means of comfort. "I bet it's the small goliaths. They're sucking the one percent from you."

Ruby smiled at her girlfriend. "Ugh, you're right. There's no other explanation. We need to find all of them."

There had already been three found in total. Truth is, there was no way of knowing how many were left or if they'd purified them all already. It really came down to time and if the team happened to run into the mini grimm.

"Let's hope we got them all," Weiss commented. "How many could there possibly be?"

Blake shrugged, setting a finger under her chin in deep thought. "I guess we'll have to see."

Again, Yang came back and handed Blake her paper.

"Good going, Blakey," the blonde praised. "You and Rubes' studying is paying off."

The faunus grinned down at it when she noticed the score. It was a mid-A.

"Nicely done," Weiss complimented, which earned a soft smile.

"Blaaaake," Ruby smiled at her girlfriend and gave her hand a squeeze. "Nice work! I know DNA bases aren't really your thing, but you killed it."

"Nailed it," Yang added happily.

Satisfied, Blake turned the paper over in case some random person saw her personal grade. "Thanks, guys."

The next paper Yang yanked out of the pile was her own test. She adorned the brightest grin, which caused Weiss to smile. Seeing that sunny smile always lightened her day.

The priestess asked knowingly. "Is that yours?"

Proudly, Yang showed off her grade to her friends. She'd worked hard to get such high marks.

In awe, Ruby breathed. "Woah, Yang. That's impressive."

Blake nodded in agreement. "You definitely earned it."

Weiss leaned in to get a better look and smirked in satisfaction. "A plus."

Happily, Yang placed a hand on her shoulder. She wanted nothing more than to kiss her girlfriend right then and there, but they were in school in a very open space with other students. Yang didn't mind public displays of affection, but Weiss might.

"It's all thanks to you~" Yang practically sang.

"Hardly," the priestess retorted. Despite the word, it lacked her characteristic bite. "If you didn't study as much as you did, it wouldn't be that high."

Yang set the test on her desk and smirked at her girlfriend. "Buuut if you didn't tutor me, my grade would be half this much for sure."

"I highly doubt that," Weiss huffed. "You're more intelligent than you let on."

"That's right- hey!"

"I'm kidding," Weiss reassured with a sly laugh. "You're very smart, Yang."

Sassily, Yang flipped her hair. "I know."

Blake smirked at her confident friend. Before, she used to dread this class. Even though the professor was her friend, that didn't help her with understanding the subject. Glynda used to be her tutor, but Yang found a great substitute. Now, she was thriving.

Blake jokingly warned. "Don't let it go to your head."

"Let me have this," the blonde almost pleaded.

That earned a few light giggles. It was then that Ms. Goodwitch walked over to the group of four.

After she pushed up her glasses, she spoke. "I was pleasantly surprised, Ms. Xiao Long. Whatever you're doing, keep it up."

"It wasn't all me," Yang revealed and pointed to her girlfriend. "She helped out a lot."

"Ms. Schnee," Glynda stated. "I see you're feeling better?"

Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose, which compelled Ruby to speak for her. "She'd rather not talk about it."

"That's understandable, Ms. Rose," Glynda agreed. "Alright, Ms. Xiao Long, get back to it. You have some papers left."

"I got it, I got it," Yang absentmindedly replied as she went back to hand them out.

Jaune had already finished the job, so he went over to the blonde to see if she needed help. However, Yang waved him off, saying that she only had two papers left.

"Don't worry," Blake began with a mischievous smirk as she stared at the annoyed white-haired girl. "Your sugar waffle will join you soon."

"Hate you."

"No, you don't."

* * *

"Admit defeat!" Nora exclaimed.

"Never!" Yang shouted.

Both arms were trembling and shaking from the sheer amount of force. Their biceps strained in frustration from the powerful violent waves both girls emitted. Their fingers were entwined and squeezing the life out of each other.

Multiple grunts and cheers rang out in the small coffee parlor. At least they were the only group there. Only the staff was present. Otherwise, they'd be a bother to any random bystanders. At least they weren't doing this in the library. That was something they wanted to avoid at all costs.

Since it was chilly outside and they had time, team RWBY and JNPR decided to hang out in the coffee shop after school. There hadn't been much homework lately, so they decided to schedule another arm wrestling match. One Nora was determined to win. More so than usual.

They'd been here once before, so the owner was aware of how rowdy they'd get. He didn't mind as long as they didn't bother anyone or caused too much of a ruckus. They were just a group of teenagers having some fun, so he saw no reason to intervene.

In a wavered voice, Yang said. "I see that coffee gave you a boost."

Their arms twitched during the harsh struggle.

Nora sent her a smug grin. "It's part of my plan to… beat the champ."

"Heh," was all Yang replied.

She smirked in satisfaction when she felt Nora's hand steadily and slowly lose power. Despite that, Nora kept her cool and continued the battle with bravado. As her hand lowered closer to the table, her friends' cheers increased.

Pyrrha cupped her hands over her mouth. "Come on, Nora! You didn't train with me for nothing!"

Yang smirked broadly. "Of course you trained for this."

Furiously, Yang and Nora were caught in a stand still. Nora refused to be slammed on the table and admit defeat. She was a stubborn one. Yang was clearly straining to completely overpower her. She was _this_ close.

After Nora grunted in determination, she slowly got the upper hand.

All the power in her body gathered in her arm muscles for one final move. Yang felt her body straining and shaking.

"I just need you to go down!" Nora yelled with unbelievable resolve.

This was it. Nora was like lightning. She was too fast.

Yang let slip a "W-hoah!"

"Haaaah!"

Nora's screech bellowed as she slammed Yang's hand down. The impact was so violent that it split the table perfectly in half. It was so forceful that cracks rang out through the entire parlor.

From the result, Yang's jaw dropped as she stared in utter bewilderment. Even her friends were stunned into silence. Yang's hand- the one she used to pummel grimm to death- was pinned on what was left of the caved in table. As if Nora was afraid that Yang would retaliate, she kept Yang's hand pinned beneath her's.

Silence.

The table cracked a little more as Nora released her grip. Yang was still in shock, so her hand was left lying limply on the remains of the wood.

"Wow," was all Ruby could mutter.

Jaune pumped his fist in the air. "Way to go, Nora!"

Blake and Weiss blinked, almost unable to comprehend the loss.

Completely astonished that she was stripped of her title, Yang pointed at the smirking orange-haired girl. "How much did you train?!"

Nora proudly set her hands on her hips. "Every day since the last match."

Pyrrha chimed in. "She was very determined to earn her title back."

"Wha…"

Nora stood and mocked a bow. "Thank you. Couldn't have done it without ya, Yang."

It was great to throw those words back at her. The look on Yang's face said it all. She knew exactly what Nora was referring to.

While Yang contemplated life, she realized something. Her and her team hadn't fought a powerful grimm for a while. There hadn't been any intense fights as of late, so her strength must've dwindled a bit. She let her cockiness get the better of her. Sure, she boxed in her free time, but Nora had totally outdone her. She definitely earned the victory.

With a genuine smile, Yang said. "Good job, Nora. It was my utter defeat."

Nora nodded in acknowledgment, grateful for the nice sportsmanship. "I can tell you didn't lose on purpose this time."

"That's right," Yang confirmed.

Happily, Ren held up Nora's arm. "Ladies and gentlemen, it's my honor to announce the arm wrestling champion."

Before anyone could celebrate, the angry owner of the shop stormed over to the large group.

"Who's payin' for that!?"

From the sudden yell, the eight friends flinched. The man gestured to the demolished table. It'd been annihilated in the aftermath. It didn't stand a chance against the two tanks.

"Uhhh…" was all Yang could mumble.

Thinking of a plan, Nora gazed at Yang. "We'll split the price," she said softly. "Since it was our fault, right?"

Yang sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. Halving the price was way better than paying full. Even though Nora was technically the one who split the table, Yang was sure it would've been the same if she happened to win. Either way, the table wouldn't be spared.

"I agree," Yang said as she gazed at the angry man. "Sorry 'bout that."

"I don't care as long as you pay me back," the owner replied firmly. "I expect the money by tomorrow. I know your faces, so if you try to bail, I'll find you and there'll be consequences."

Pyrrha placed a hand over her mouth and murmured. "Oh my…"

Blake stepped in with a stern expression that matched her voice. "You have no need to worry about that. We'll make sure they pay for the damages."

"Alright then," the man sensed that she meant it and walked away, retreating to the back of the store.

When he was out of sight, the eight friends let out sighs of relief.

Nora grimaced. "He was angry, huh?"

Ruby empathized with the owner. "Who could blame him? A bunch of rowdy teenagers come in here like they own the place and then wreck his table?"

Yang frowned after a sigh. "I feel like a douche."

"It's okay," Weiss comforted her girlfriend by placing a gentle hand on her back. "I'll pay for it."

In unison, Yang and Nora replied. "No, you won't."

In no way was she responsible for the broken table.

Taking the hint, Weiss backed down. "Okay, okay."

The blonde offered her a smile. "Thanks for the offer, though, princess."

Yang knew for a fact that her girlfriend would pay if she was allowed. There was no way Yang was going to let her literally pay for her mistake.

Weiss gave her a hum of acknowledgment and pecked her on top of the head.

Instantly, Yang blushed from the contact. From her reaction, their friends lightly chuckled. It was always great to see a flustered Yang Xiao Long.

Nora sent her a smug expression. "What's the matter, Yang? Your girlfriend made you blush~"

"Shut up," the blonde teasingly replied.

Hearing the word 'girlfriend' caused Weiss to blush. It was still almost too good to be true that they were officially a couple.

While her friends conversed, Yang felt her phone buzz in her pocket. The message was from Glynda, which piqued her interest. The blonde read the text carefully and after, stood with a purpose. This caused her friends to give her curious looks.

"Team meeting."

That was all she needed to say for her teammates to stand with her.

"Sorry, guys," Ruby apologized. "We'll catch ya at school! It was fun."

Pyrrha spoke for them. "Okay. See you tomorrow."

With that, team RWBY headed out the doors. When the door clicked shut, Nora faced Pyrrha.

Nora tugged on her arm to get her attention. "Dontcha wanna know where they're going?"

"No," Pyrrha answered politely. "They had that look on their faces. They're ready to do something important."

Ren nodded in agreement. "They had game faces."

"Yes, that," Pyrrha agreed.

When team RWBY was outside and away from their friends, Yang lead them to where they needed to be.

The sun's rays were gentle, too gentle. It was no longer hot outside, but rather lukewarm. The leaves were no longer a vibrant green, but dulling, and there was the occasional breeze.

Unable to stop her curiosity, Ruby asked. "Did Ms. Goodwitch text you?"

"Yep," Yang replied, popping the 'p.'

"What was it about?" Ruby wanted to clarify.

"No idea," Yang shrugged. "She just said to meet her around that corner."

Weiss narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Is she following us?"

"Maybe," Yang didn't deny the possibility.

Blake smirked and added her own thoughts. "Maybe she found the next relic."

Ruby smiled.

"Let's hope so."

* * *

 **What does our favorite teacher have in store for them?**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	44. Unbreakable Bonds of Trust

"Oz and I have a very important request."

Glynda informed the team as she pushed up her glasses. Since they were behind a building that wasn't busy, not many people were around. It was also the school week, so most people stayed home and didn't bother to walk around the city of Vale.

Team RWBY stared at their professor, expectant.

Ruby spoke their thoughts. "Is this about the relic?"

"No," Goodwitch replied, which earned sighs. Truthfully, the team wanted to go snatch a piece of the relic. It'd been a while since their last mission and they were ready to go, so the news was a let down. "Although, we are getting _very_ close to narrowing down its whereabouts. I wouldn't be surprised if we send you out to grab it by next week."

"Oh, awesome," Yang chirped. "What'd you need from us now?"

Glynda simply crossed her arms, knowing they wouldn't like what she was going to say. "You're going to need those exterminator outfits."

The freezerburn couple groaned in annoyance.

Not understanding the reference, Blake asked. "What do you mean?"

Yang popped her knuckles. "We have some grimm to get rid of. Why can't you do it anyways, Glyn?"

"Your team is more efficient than I am," Goodwitch stated firmly. It was true that she could handle most grimm on her own, but for what was in store, teamwork would be best.

"Where are they?" Blake questioned.

Like she was waiting for the question, Goodwitch pointed to the sky. Team RWBY looked up in unison. There was a flock of blackbirds roaming around in a large swarm. The group was high up, about several hundred feet past the tallest building.

At first, the small blackbirds looked like ordinary crows or bats, but a closer look made them realize that they had red eyes. Grimm.

"Baby nevermores," Glynda explained in irritation. Out of all the smaller grimm, that was the one that annoyed her the most. "Annihilating them quickly would be preferable with the priestess' purification abilities," Yang opened her mouth to retort, but the professor continued before she could speak. "However, I'm aware that your aura gets depleted quickly," she glanced at Weiss, who had a guilty expression.

"Ms. Goodwitch," Weiss addressed. "I understand that you don't want me to use my powers because I tire, but I'm willing to do it for the team."

"I know, Ms. Schnee," Glynda stated softly. "However, I'd suggest someone with a sword."

Her stern green eyes fixed on the cat faunus. Blake's three teammates stared at her and she flailed her hands in emphasis.

"I don't have my katana on me-"

Just then, Glynda pulled out the faunus' katana and gladly handed it to her. With a smirk, Blake accepted her trusty sword and slipped it on the hem of her skirt.

To help her girlfriend, Ruby thought of an idea. "I can go get my gun real quick. It'll only take thirty seconds."

Before she could even think about bolting away with her semblance, Yang grabbed the red hoodie under her uniform. This stopped her. "No way, Rubes. I know you want to help Blakey, but think about it. Do you want to freak out everyone within a five-mile radius?"

Since they were in public and the swarm was just above them, anyone near would be able to hear the gunshots. Plus, the little birds were tiny targets and there was a lot of them. The gun would have to fire at least a few dozen times to shoot every grimm. That was a definite no-go.

Weiss shook her head. "The mere thought of Ruby with a sniper rifle is unnerving," she glanced at the giddy girl in red. "Although you are quite talented with it."

"Why, thank you," Ruby said happily. "Nice Weiss strikes again. And I get it. No guns."

Not wanting to waste time, Glynda handed Yang her beloved magical broom.

"What's that?" Ruby asked, which caused Weiss to groan from the memories of being on that thing.

"This," the blonde held up the broom. "Is the best thing ever. It's a magical, weird broom."

Irritatingly, Glynda made the broom to spasm in Yang's grasp. Yang had called her treasure 'weird.' That wasn't going to fly. And she even told her student to treat it with respect several times. Did she not listen to her warnings?

"W-hoah!" Yang exclaimed as she tried to stop herself from trembling. The broom was convulsing with anger as she kept her iron grip.

The ladybug couple took a step back from the display. Their eyes were unable to pry away from the spasming inanimate object. It was like the broom was alive.

"W-woah…" Ruby mumbled.

As the ladybug pair gawked at it, Glynda snapped her fingers. This caused her beloved broom to become still.

Glynda said sternly. "Her name is Wanda."

From the revelation, Ruby covered her mouth to try to stifle the giggles. That was for naught as she began laughing so hard that her sides hurt. "W-Wanda?!" she sputtered, unable to stop. "My professor named a broom Wanda?!"

From her reaction, Blake and Weiss adorned smiles, and even let slip a few giggles as well.

Yang just looked at Glynda knowingly. "Told ya it was a stupid name, Goodbitch."

Silence. Any laughter ceased.

Only sounds of the grimm above squawked.

Blake's mouth was parted slightly. She was in complete disbelief from what she heard as she pointed from Yang to Glynda. "D-did you just call her…"

Ruby crossed her arms and pouted. "And you tell me I have bad manners."

"Eh," the blonde waved off. "Glyn doesn't mind it, right? It's a pet name!"

To prove her point, Yang smacked the professor playfully on the back. This caused Goodwitch to snap internally. It was fine if Yang addressed her like that when they were alone and outside of school, but in front of other students crossed the line.

"Buffoon."

Again, Glynda snapped her fingers. Knowing what was to come, Yang had a death grip on the broom. Not even a second later, Wanda yanked her sideways and soared away while Yang yelped.

"Agh!"

"Yang!" Weiss called worriedly.

The broom shot off like a rocket while simultaneously wiggling and relentlessly veering from side-to-side. Anything to make Yang let go. Somehow, Yang managed to keep her grip as her body dangled.

Goodwitch watched her student scream, which caused a satisfied smirk to form. Being at her mercy was fun and all, but this wasn't enough. The broom dodged around buildings as startled shrieks filled the air. It was a good thing that no bystanders were around. The center was vacant today.

For good measure, Goodwitch steered the broom upward steeply several hundred meters. All the while, Wanda twisted repeatedly. Yang was like a spinning yellow barrel in the sky.

"Woooooooaah!" Yang screeched.

This finally caused Yang to let go. She could no longer keep her grip as gravity took effect. The broom abandoned her as it flew back to its owner. Since nothing was there to save her, Yang braced herself for the harsh landing and flared her aura.

"Yang!"

Weiss didn't even check her surroundings for bystanders. Her flaming girlfriend needed help, so she formed a glyph to catch her.

From the call, Yang faced her own back toward the ground since she knew what her girlfriend had planned. It was exactly what she thought as she slammed into the stern glyph.

The wind was knocked out of her as Yang laid there in mid-air.

Ruby cupped her hands over her mouth. "You okay!?"

"I'm good!" Yang gave her a thumbs up as she wobbly stood.

Luckily, Yang hadn't plummeted that much and landed nicely on the mid-air platform. She wasn't hurt at all as her flames flickered away. To help her get down the rest of the way, Weiss made a stairs out of her glyphs.

"Thanks, princess!" Yang called as she leapt onto the next few glyphs. "And thank you for the wild ride, Goodbitch!"

Glynda's eye twitched and she mumbled. "Did she learn nothing?"

"Try to ignore her," Blake advised. "Wait, no. That makes things worse. You can't win."

"I've realized that," Glynda said as she handed the broom to the faunus.

Blake hesitantly accepted the broom, not sure if she was qualified to handle such an interesting spectacle.

In no time, Yang landed on the ground safely and approached her team. "Whew. That was an adrenaline rush. Here, I can drive it," she grabbed the broom from Blake's grasp. Blake had no problem with letting her take it. "Looks like you and me are gonna kill the grimm. I'm the only one here who can steer."

"Alright," Blake accepted the explanation. She wasn't keen on driving a magical broom while simultaneously slicing up the enemy.

"Before you ask," Yang continued as she positioned the broom beneath her. "No, I don't have a license for this, but I am experienced."

Blake gave her a confused look. "Why would I ask that? Who would ask that?"

Weiss let out an annoyed groan. "You'll never let that go."

Yang giggled as Blake hopped on behind her. "Nope!"

Since Blake enjoyed the thrill of heights, she was actually excited to try this. It would definitely be interesting. She trusted Yang with her life, so this was going to test that.

Ruby cupped her hands over her mouth. "Good luck, you two!"

"Be careful," Weiss advised.

"Ready!" Yang called as she crouched.

Blake followed her lead and lowered herself to the ground, her grip tightly around her waist.

Ruby shouted. "Hike!"

With that, Blake kicked off on the broom. Thankfully, Goodwitch gave them a head-start as the yellow and black pair soared up toward the swarm. They were soaring fast, and to prepare herself, Blake hugged her legs around Yang's own. Yang slightly adjusted herself in response, making sure her friend had a tight grip. Blake would need her entire upper body to cut the tiny grimm.

With amber eyes narrowed, she held her sword back as they headed into the black blob. There were more birds than she originally thought, so she made a plan. For what she had in mind, she trusted Yang or Weiss to be her support.

"Be right back."

From the sudden mumble, Yang was caught off guard. "What?"

Without a word, Blake unwrapped her legs around her friend. Carefully, she held onto her shoulders to keep her balance and steady herself. Like a cat, she crouched on her tiptoes on the flying broom. At this angle, she was almost standing.

Just after they entered the black mass, Blake conjured up two shadows as she leaped off the broom. Her hands abandoned the safety as Yang's shoulders as she soared highly.

"Risky!" Yang yelled somewhat happily. "Go, Blakey! Cut 'em like sushi!"

Now that Blake wasn't behind her, Yang had full control of the magical broom. She formed her own plan while Blake handled her own.

Since there were three Blake's, this should be more efficient. Blake had keen precision, so the tiny birds began to drop and wither away as they were sliced in half. The clones continually pushed off each other, each striving to kill as many birds as possible before the free fall.

It was only a matter of time before gravity took effect.

Knowing that was inevitable, Yang whipped back around. One problem. She had no idea which Blake was the original. All three samurai's were grunting and slicing the grimm in rapid succession. It was a total massacre as Blake's own blackness mixed with the darkness of the birds. It was odd to see such a dark black cloud against the pure sky.

In retaliation, the grimm would try to peck the faunus' head, but she didn't pay that any mind and went for the finishing blows. They were utterly defenseless as violent shrieks ripped from their beaks.

As expected, the three Blake's began to fall. This was it. The moment Blake somewhat worried about. She trusted her teammates wholeheartedly. They'd catch her. Either Yang would catch the original Blake by chance, or Weiss would catch all three. Recalling shadows required focus, something she lacked as she free fell.

One moment, the faunus was falling and the next, she was in a pair of arms.

"Yang!" Blake exclaimed in disbelief.

It was hard for the blonde to steer while Blake was in her lap. All Yang did was smile as she hastily coaxed Blake to sit behind her. It was only a matter of time before she lost control if she couldn't steer the broom.

"Looks like I picked the right one," the blonde stated as she drove forward calmly. "Juuust to make sure," she quickly turned around and experimentally punched her arm.

"Ow."

When Blake didn't vanish, Yang was stunned.

"Holy shit! That was pure luck!"

"My shadows can't talk!" Blake informed. "We still have some left. Ready for round two?"

Yang huffed with a smirk.

"You betcha."

* * *

Down below, Ruby and Weiss watched the streaking yellow and black pair.

Glynda was beside them with her arms crossed, impressed from the display of teamwork.

They demonstrated the utmost, unbreakable bonds of trust.

"That was so cool!" Ruby gushed. "My girlfriend's so talented! I really worried for a second there, but Yang got her!" the chipper girl faced Weiss. "Thanks for summoning those glyphs in case, Weiss. Blake may be able to always land on her feet, but she's not invincible."

"You're welcome, Ruby."

Ruby noticed that her face was a shade of green. "Hey, you okay?"

Just watching the display made Weiss nauseous. She'd look away, but her attention was needed. Yang was lucky the last time in guessing which one was the original Blake. Based on their movements, she could tell that they were going to do the same thing again.

It was obvious that Blake was depending on her team, a fact that made her smile. Despite the smile, she covered her mouth.

"I'm going to be sick."

Ruby rubbed soothing circles on her back. "Heights not your thing?"

Glynda answered for her. "No. Not at all."

Suddenly, Weiss no longer felt nauseous. No, this was a far worse, familiar feeling. One she hoped would never come back.

She already had a hand over her mouth, so she kept it there to muffle the sudden whimper. Her voice was caught in her throat and all the oxygen was sucked from her lungs. Her heart seized violently as she bent over.

"Woah, woah," Ruby said softly as she continued the soothing motions. "Does watching affect you that much?"

When there was no reply, Ruby knelt to check her over. Weiss' eyes were squeezed shut and beads of sweat rolled down her face. Then and there Ruby knew this was so much more.

 _It can't be happening again,_ Weiss hazily thought. _What's wrong?_

Concerned, Glynda joined Ruby to check her over. "Ms. Schnee?"

The priestess was too afraid to reply. Afraid that would make the sudden pain that much worse. It was agony that slithered into her very being and ate her from the inside out. From the pain, she froze in place. It was excruciating, and all she could do was hope that Ruby or Glynda didn't hear the tiny whimper. She forced herself to stop from crying out by tightening the hand over her mouth.

A gentle hand was placed on her shoulder. "Ms. Schnee?"

And then, the pain crawled away like it was never there. Finally able to breathe again, Weiss gasped and stood upright to not worry her concerned friend and professor. The sudden action caused Ruby and Glynda to be taken aback.

"Weiss?" Ruby called, noticing her face was now paler.

 _What is wrong with me?_ Weiss thought. _I've researched dozens of illnesses, but none match my symptoms. I can't go to a doctor because these episodes are random. I can't be locked in some facility when there's grimm to purify and relics to find. When I figure it out, I'll tell them so we can fix the problem together._

It took all her willpower not to stammer and she quickly thought of an excuse. "Sorry," she rubbed her stomach. "I managed to hold it in."

Ruby tilted her head like a confused puppy. "Weak stomach? You sure you're good? That's all it was?"

"Yes," Weiss tried out a smile. "Let's-"

A sudden yelp from above cut her off.

There were three Blake's falling to the ground as she screamed. Above, the swarm had disappeared, so the grimm had been eliminated.

Unfortunately, Yang caught the wrong Blake when the one on her broom poofed away. She tried to hastily fix her mistake as she steered toward another Blake, but that wasn't needed.

Instantly, Weiss formed two glyphs to catch both Blake's. The shadow vanished, and the original flipped over perfectly before landing on her feet. The impact was harsh, so it caused the glyph to crack in the center.

Blake waved down at her. "Thanks!"

"No problem!"

Yang flew over to Blake and let her hop on the back of the broom so Weiss didn't have to make more glyphs.

"You good?" Yang asked.

"Yeah," the faunus nodded. "Let's get down. I'd like to feel the ground now."

"Your wish is my command."

* * *

Not far away, a blond boy and redhead were walking through the city of Vale together.

After Nora won the arm wrestling match, the group split up in pairs.

Not very many people were outside due to it being chilly. That didn't bother them, though. They were in their comfortable school uniforms.

"What's your plan after this, Jaune?"

"Ah," Jaune sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "Homework. What about you, Pyr?"

Pyrrha shrugged. "I may practice kickboxing. It depends if my trainer is available."

"You should try to become the arm wrestling champion," Jaune suggested with enthusiasm. "I bet you'd win."

"I don't want to intrude on what Yang and Nora have going on," Pyrrha said softly.

Jaune dryly laughed. "If you win maybe that'd shut them up."

"Perhaps," Pyrrha conceded. "Although, I don't know if I'll be able to win against either."

"Are you kidding?" Jaune asked in exasperation. "Pyr, you're super strong. I'd bet money on you."

There was a light chuckle and Pyrrha offered a smile. "Thank you, Jaune."

When Jaune casually stretched, he gazed up at the sky. The warm rays had beamed on his face, so he wanted to give nature his attention. The sky was a greyish pallor. What piqued his interest was when streaks of black and yellow swirled above.

Blue orbs narrowed to accurately depict what was happening.

Blake and Yang?

Confused, Jaune rubbed his eyes. He had to be seeing things. When his vision cleared, he looked up again.

Yep, Blake and Yang...

On a flying broom?

Noticing Jaune was spacing out, Pyrrha playfully nudged his arm. "Jaune? Is something wrong?"

"It's nothing, Pyrrha. This is just a dream."

* * *

 **LOL Jaune. Thanks Shadow Nightblade for that joke.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	45. Ladybug Picnic

It was just another day at school.

It was never an ordinary day. Not exactly when some grimm were roaming around, but otherwise it was pretty normal. At least team RWBY's version of normal.

The halls were lively and animated chatter filled the school. It was finally halfway through the day. It was also near the end of the school week to boot.

During passing period, Ruby felt the call of nature.

She lost count of how many times she wanted to use her semblance in school. Think of all the possibilities. She could beat everyone to class, to their lockers, and vanish before anyone knew she was there. But that wouldn't be fun. She had friends to talk to. Plus, if anyone caught a red blur in the halls they'd know it's her. Ruby was well-known for being put ahead a grade and for wearing her red hood under her uniform.

Fighting the urge to race any students to the bathroom, Ruby briskly walked. She wanted to talk to her team in these few precious five minutes that she had, so she had to be quick.

Ruby wiggled through the wave of students and walked in the restroom without a hitch. It didn't take long for a few girls to flow in after her, so she picked the nearest stall to do her business.

However, before she did anything, silver eyes wandered to the toilet. More specifically, inside the toilet. In disgust, Ruby cringed as the odor of a distinct bathroom smell grossly wafted in her nostrils. It was a dark mass that floated in the water. In fact, it took up most of the inside of the toilet.

 _Who didn't flush?_ Ruby thought in disgust. _How hard is it?_

Not one to touch the handle, Ruby used her foot to flush the toilet and stood there patiently, waiting for the grossness to get sucked away.

The moment she pressed down on the handle, the poop hissed and slithered violently. The dark mass whirled around as it spat its red tongue out. Piercing red met her startled silver gaze. To confirm her confusion, it let out another vicious hiss.

This was straight out of her worst nightmares.

Ruby didn't even think twice about her reaction when she screamed at the top of her lungs.

" **Agh**!"

Even the heavens heard the shriek. Any women in the bathroom stopped what they were doing and gasped in shock.

On instinct, Ruby bolted out of the stall. She didn't give a crap about her fellow students' reactions. She had to get to her team. She had to tell them that a god damned tiny taijitu was chilling in one of the toilets!

 _Ew, ew, ew, ew, ew,_ was all Ruby could think. _Gross, gross, gross! What if I sat over that thing?!_

On adrenaline, Ruby almost sprinted with her semblance. She probably did at some points when a light trail of red was left behind her. Ruby was too shocked to care about bumping into random people.

Multiple "excuse you's" reached her ears, but Ruby was too focused to care. That grimm needed to be purified _now_. Ruby wished she could've brought the small snake to the priestess, but there was no way she was going to reach in a toilet, much less touch a small snake.

 _I fought a king taijitu,_ Ruby told herself. _But it's so different when you find a smaller version in the toilet! Wish I had my gun!_

Soon, she caught up to her team. Her three teammates, Nora, and Jaune were conversing next to the lockers in the hallway.

When Ruby approached them with a flustered look, Yang became alarmed. "What's up, Rubes? Was that your scream just now?"

"I-I-" Ruby pointed behind her, struggling to form words. "T-the bathroom!"

Nora gave Blake a strange look. "What's wrong with her?"

Blake shrugged. "Beats me."

"She's your girlfriend!" Nora yelped. "Shouldn't you know?"

Blake sighed. "I may be able to see in the dark, but I can't read minds."

Confused, Yang set her hands on her little sister's shoulders. "Words, Rubes! Give us words!"

Since people who didn't know about this other world were around, Ruby chose her words carefully as a creepy shiver shot down her spine.

"U-uh, bathroom," Ruby tried to gesture every word. "Bathroom scary! Slithery thing!"

The last thing the red-hooded girl wanted to say was that there was a snake in the restroom. Or a grimm. She was in a tight spot as her friends tried to decode what she was trying to say.

Utterly confused, Jaune asked. "You mean like slithery poop?"

"N-no!" Ruby yelped.

Concerned, Nora looked at Yang. "Is she okay?"

"Goodness gracious," Weiss groaned in annoyance. "This isn't a game of charades."

"Ughhhh," Ruby whined.

The warning bell chimed. That meant they only had two minutes to get to their next class.

Yang sighed. "You better tell us soon."

Fed up, Ruby grabbed Weiss' arm. "Just follow me!"

"Dolt, what're you- ah!"

Together, Ruby bolted off with Weiss trailing behind. Instantly following was Yang and Blake. They trailed behind the pair slightly to let Ruby lead, not knowing which bathroom she was talking about.

Jaune and Nora shrugged and went to their own classes, noting to ask what it was about later. Since the warning bell rang, the hallway was mostly vacant now. The team risked being tardy, but it was worth it to see what the hell Ruby was trying to say.

In no time, Ruby busted into the bathroom. Now, there were luckily no students present.

"Okay," Blake began softly, genuinely concerned for her girlfriend. "What's wrong?"

Ruby just pointed to the first stall with a shaky finger. "I-in there."

Like they were going to war, Yang stepped in front of her friends protectively. After nodding amongst each other, the blonde yanked the door open. This was followed by a spine shivering hiss.

"Oh my god!" Yang yelped as she felt her heart almost jump out of her chest.

The sound startled her the most. Slowly, Weiss peaked around her girlfriend's shoulder and noticed what was in the toilet.

"Gross," was all Blake could say.

Like before, the small taijitu was minding its own business in the toilet bowl. Its black skin was coated in a layer of stool water.

Ruby gulped. "What if it hurts someone?"

"It won't," Weiss reassured. "Tiny grimm like this are just a nuisance to normal people and us. It's just your luck that you found one in the toilet. That's disgusting."

Yang gave her little sister a curious look. "What is with you and finding grimm around toilets? First the small goliath, and now this?"

Another hiss. This caused the team to flinch.

Ruby tugged on her hair in frustration. "My worst nightmares have come true! This reminds me of the time Blake and I watched Snakes on a Plane!"

"Good movie. It brings nightmares to life," the faunus commented and faced the priestess. "Can you purify it?"

"Of course but I'm not touching it."

Yang cringed from the thought. "That goes without saying."

With that, her teammates stepped aside to let her purify it. Weiss hovered her hand over the bowl and down at the mass of darkness. The small grimm shrieked as the white light engulfed it. The snake had no chance of fighting the priestess as it withered away from existence. The toilet bowl was left with clear water.

Proudly, Weiss turned around to face her friends. "It's clear."

"Good job, princess," Yang gave her a thumbs up.

"Thanks, Weissy," Ruby said softly. "That gave me a big scare."

Weiss smirked. "You've shot a full grown king taijitu, you dunce."

Before Ruby could reply, her girlfriend spoke her thoughts. "The toilet changes things. It changes lives."

From that, Weiss playfully rolled her eyes. "Bunch of dolts."

The grimm certainly spiced up their everyday lives a bit.

Ruby gasped in realization.

"What?!" Yang yelped. "What is it, Rubes?!"

"We're late for class!"

* * *

After the hectic school day, Ruby and Blake decided it was time for another date.

It'd been a while since they went somewhere together. Sure, they hung out a lot at home and enjoyed every moment, but being out in public was just as fun.

After Blake noticed how startled her girlfriend was from the small snake in the toilet, she made plans to cheer her up.

A picnic in the park.

There was the occasional breeze, but it wasn't too chilly. Blake figured they might as well have a picnic now before it got too cold. As an added bonus, not very many people were around.

The ladybug pair settled in a flat open prairie. After Blake laid out the blanket, Ruby set down the basket. Together, the couple sat across from each other.

"This is such a good idea, my kitten," Ruby chirped happily.

Blake simply smiled. "I figured you'd like it after the day you had," she finished with a light giggle.

"I almost sat over that thing," Ruby shivered not from the breeze, but from the creepiness. "I'm just glad I checked."

"That's terrifying to think about," Blake conceded.

"Hey," Ruby called softly. "You're really pretty."

She'd always known her girlfriend was pretty- gorgeous- but the slight wind caused her black locks to flow like an entrancing waterfall. The sun was behind her, so Blake was akin to a goddess. Those cute cat ears were perked up. Her overall appearance caused Ruby to blush.

Lovingly, Blake grasped her girlfriend's hand. "And you, my rose, are the most vibrant and beautiful girl ever imaginable."

Ruby's face suggested that she ate the compliment up, which caused Blake to smile.

There was another breeze.

A certain yearning filled the air.

They were starting to get nervous when they realized they had the park all to themselves. No children or adults were present. They gazed into each other's kind eyes. Without realizing it, both of them leaned in.

Their soft lips pressed together slowly. Together, they matched each other's pace as the kissing continued passionately.

Their scents were mesmerizing in the best way possible.

To Ruby, Blake smelled and tasted like sweet vanilla.

To Blake, Ruby smelled like strawberries and tasted like sweet chocolate chip cookies. After that realization, Blake failed to suppress a laugh. Of course her girlfriend would taste like her favorite treat.

The giggle she tried to stifle came out muffled from their ensnared lips. The sudden sensation made Ruby's eyes go wide, wondering if she did something wrong.

Hesitantly, Ruby separated as the sound of affection echoed. That's when they realized their faces were flushed from the passion.

Gently, she placed a hand over Blake's cheek. "Something wrong?"

"No," Blake smiled. "Just realized something is all. You're perfect."

"You're really good at kissing," Ruby murmured as she set her forehead against Blake's own.

The faunus pecked the tip of Ruby's nose, which elicited an adorable squeal.

"Want to get more… comfortable?" Blake asked, a suggestive emphasis in her tone.

"Huh-"

Before Ruby could ask what she meant, Blake tipped her over and laid her down on the blanket that covered the grass. Another tiny squeal ensued as Blake smiled down at her.

"Woah…" Ruby breathed as she swam in those twinkling amber orbs. Thanks to the new angle of the cat faunus gazing down at her, Ruby was entranced as the beams of light emanated around her form. "I've always known this, but I'll never get used to it. Blake, your eyes and- everything about you… you're beautiful."

With a purr, Blake leaned down and nuzzled her face on Ruby's soft cheek. The action caused Ruby to lightly giggle.

"Everyone already knows I'm yours," Ruby reassured.

Sometimes, her girlfriend would nuzzle or rub her out of habit. The two would joke it was because Blake was a cat faunus and subconsciously developed the cute trait.

"You can't be too sure," Blake murmured.

With that, she pecked her girlfriend's neck. When there was a surprised gasp, that compelled Blake to continue. She sucked on her milky skin before softly biting down.

A pleased moan escaped Ruby's lips. That made Blake deepen the contact.

All Ruby could do was keep her arms loosely wrapped around her girlfriend's back.

"B-Blake…" Ruby muttered weakly.

Momentarily, Blake stopped and snuggled into her neck before leaning up. "I can see your neck is still your weak spot."

In response, Ruby lovingly caressed her cheek. "You tease me worse than Yang sometimes."

"You know you love it."

"Yeah…"

Naturally, their lips found each other's again as they gently pressed together. The couple melted into the euphoric contact. The sound of the breeze was music to their ears as they kissed.

They matched each other's ferocity while their hands interlocked. After several sweet moments, the ladybug pair separated. Their foreheads touched. Kind and eager eyes bore into each other.

Ruby pecked her nose. "You're so red."

"I can't help it," Blake purred. "I'm the luckiest girl in the world. I have you as my girlfriend and get to kiss you to boot."

Without warning, Blake landed on her side and carefully coaxed Ruby to lay on top of her.

"What're you doing, silly?" Ruby asked, curious.

Her answer was constant purring that vibrated throughout Blake's body. Not wanting to break away, Ruby hugged her closely with a grin.

"I haven't heard you purr this much before."

"It's my way of showing I that _really_ care about you," Blake spoke softly.

The hands on the back of Ruby's head were gentle, and her eyes drifted shut to savor the pleasant purrs and sensations. They rocked her entire body and she wanted nothing more than to bask in her presence.

Ruby gave her a gentle squeeze. "I really care about you, too."

"Yeah?" Blake was happy to hear that and gently pecked the top of her head.

"Yeah," Ruby confirmed, nuzzling closer. "More than you'll ever know."

The couple simply held each other like that for several minutes, enjoying each other's company. The only sound was the occasional birds chirping and a calm breeze.

"Ruby?" Blake asked as she gazed at the sky.

Like she was waking up from a nap, Ruby asked. "Yeah?"

"We forgot to eat."

"I blame you."

* * *

 **If you didn't laugh at the first part wtf are you? Dat ladybug though. They needed more screen time so BAM.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	46. Long Overdue

"It's about time!"

Happily, Yang grinned as her declaration echoed in the temple. Her beloved team was around her with similar eager smiles. The headmaster and Goodwitch stood in front of them with satisfied smirks. Being invited to the temple by the professors only meant one thing.

As Yang announced, it was time.

Glynda and Ozpin stood at the bottom of the glimmering stairs in front of the four teammates like they were about to teach a lesson.

Ruby couldn't wait for the information. She was practically bouncing up in down in place. "Where's the next relic?"

Glynda pushed up her glasses in preparation for the oh so great story.

"Want to know why it took so long to find?"

"Yeah," Blake spoke for them. "Ruby and I don't know how long it normally takes."

Ozpin chimed in a commanding voice. "It varies, Ms. Belladonna. However, this particular piece of the relic has peaked our interest," he finished with an amused smile.

Cat ears perked up. Blake was now fully alert. "Why's that?"

So far, both of the relic pieces they'd hunted were in caves. Besides the shard that the priestess already possessed. Naturally, nearby caves were what Glynda and Ozpin searched specifically. When they had no luck, they switched tactics.

Glynda spoke with a hint of irritability in her tone. "Oz and I searched all over. We covered miles upon miles of ground, but with no luck. Until we looked to the sky."

The last comment caused team RWBY to perk up.

Dumbfounded, Ruby tilted her head. "The relic's in the sky?"

"Indeed, Ms. Rose," Ozpin answered. "More specifically, it's on a floating island."

Ruby's jaw dropped. "You- you lost me."

Her team nodded in agreement.

"A floating island?" Weiss wanted to clarify. "How's that even possible?" she held her chin in thought. "Then again, Ms. Goodwitch has a magic broom, grimm exist, and headmaster Ozpin is thousands of years old."

She made a good point, so her team shrugged in agreement.

Ozpin took a deep breath like he had an answer. "After much thought, Glynda and I believe that this piece of the relic powers the island. That's why it can float," that earned curious stares, so he continued. "The relic has powers we don't even know are imaginable. It's not too far fetched to assume that the relic's power is causing the island to float."

To fill them in on a few more things, Goodwitch added. "Which is why we advise your team to be careful. We have reason to believe that when you capture the next shard, the island will fall. It will more than likely collapse."

The four members gulped from the information.

After Weiss swallowed hardly, she looked at Goodwitch. "The broom's required, isn't it?"

"Wanda is, yes," Glynda informed solemnly. "There's no other way to reach the island. Sorry, Ms. Schnee."

"Fantastic," Weiss said sarcastically.

Ruby pumped her fist in the air. "This'll be so awesome!"

While Weiss groaned, dreading the day she'd have to get on that flying broom, Yang pecked her cheek. "Don't worry, I won't let you fall."

The sudden kiss caused her to blush.

Blake perked an amused brow from her friend's reaction. "Not a fan?"

Weiss gave her a look. "Can you tell?"

"It's gonna be awesome," Ruby chirped. "I can't wait to ride it."

Blake faced her girlfriend, realization in those golden orbs. "Ah, that's right. You're the only one who hasn't been on… Wanda," she faced the almost smiling Goodwitch. Probably because she used the proper name. "That reminds me, can all of us fit on it? It looks like it's built for two."

From that, Glynda stared knowingly at Yang. "Yang, you know how to make her extend. I've charged her up so she's ready for a full week of flying even though you'll only need her for the weekend."

Yang sent the teacher a wink. "Good plannin', Glyn."

Goodwitch breathed a sigh of relief. If Yang called her by the other more inappropriate, less flattering nickname, Yang would receive a stern lecture. Not that it'd make a difference.

Ozpin chimed in using his protective voice. "Tomorrow is Friday, so I'd suggest you four head out directly after school."

Yang pumped her fists together. "Yeah! We're gonna kick some butt."

Weiss smiled at her girlfriend. "I suppose this won't be so bad. I've never been on a floating island before."

That earned a few soft snickers.

"Think of an excuse for your guardians," Ozpin advised firmly. "Chances are, you'll be gone all weekend. We can't have them getting worried and calling the police."

"Don't worry, we'll handle that," Ruby chimed and gazed at Yang and Blake. "Aren't you guys glad that Dad is laid-back?"

Yang placed her hands on her hips, having already thought of some excuse to give the doting father and ease his nerves. "Let's say something along the lines of we have important shit to do."

Blake just shrugged. "He'd go with it. At least he doesn't ask many questions."

Ruby added in to that. "He understands the importance of privacy."

Noticing Weiss was silent, the blonde grasped her hand. "Be sure to let Klein know, okay? He'd definitely worry if he noticed you're gone for several days."

Just hearing his name caused Weiss to smile. Her girlfriend definitely wasn't wrong. Before, Klein displayed pure worry when he didn't know her whereabouts when she was hunting the second shard. Since then, Weiss was sure to keep him updated. She wanted to spare him some stress.

"I'll be sure to let him know."

As thanks, Weiss returned the previous sweet gesture and pecked Yang on the cheek. In response, Yang fondly leaned more into the kiss to feel those soft lips on her cheeks more firmly.

From the display, Glynda couldn't help but smile.

"There's a few more things you must know," Goodwitch continued. "Since the island is floating in the sky is perfectly balanced, we believe that the relic is located in the center."

That earned more confused expressions.

Ozpin nodded in agreement to back up his comrade. "If the relic was located on the side, the island might be tilted at an angle. However, that's not the case."

"Alright," Yang said back to them and recited the plan. "Get on the island with Wanda, go to the center, take the relic, and then head back. Easy peasy."

Weiss crossed her arms from the memory of the abyss. "If there are no traps."

Glynda agreed with her star student. "It may sound easy, but proceed with caution."

"In the meantime," Ozpin began with a bargaining tone. "Rest up and try to enjoy yourselves. Your team has a long weekend ahead."

Four nods of confirmation were given.

* * *

While Ruby packed for the mission, her beloved dog accompanied her.

Although, Zwei almost picked up any item she placed in her red and black bag before setting it on the floor with his gentle jaws. He was trying to unpack her bag like he didn't want her to leave.

"Aw, Zwei," Ruby cooed softly. "I'll only be gone for a few days."

A calm bark.

"I'll miss you, too."

With that, the sniper picked up the extra pair of clothes Ruby originally packed and tossed them back in her suitcase. When she picked up the flashlight, Zwei let out another yip.

"Here ya go bud, help me out."

Like it was a toy, Ruby tossed the bulky light to him. The quick corgi expertly caught the heavy flashlight in his mouth with strong jaws. Like a good boy, he set it in the open bag that was already full of various items. This included Ruby's unloaded sniper rifle and Blake's clean katana.

Yang had her own yellow bag that she was packing for her and Weiss. Instead of four bags, there were two. The less luggage to carry, the better.

The next thing to pack was snacks, so Ruby headed to her drawers and yanked out a few that she had hidden. There were fruit chews, dried fruit like mangos and bananas, skinny popcorn, cheezits, and her personal favorite- small cookies in those little packets. Hopefully there was enough variety so her teammates would at least like something.

Ruby tried to get as much snacks for her team as she could since she was in charge of that. When her father was gone, Ruby raided the kitchen. It won't take long for Taiyang to realize that almost half the pantry was empty. The goal was to leave before he notices.

Before Zwei could even try to open the bags of food, Ruby zipped the food up in a side pocket.

"Sorry, boy."

In response, Zwei rubbed against her leg like he wasn't bothered at all.

"Aw," lovingly, Ruby rubbed his dog ears. "Love you."

While Ruby was in charge of the food, Weiss was handling the water bottles. Apparently, she had tons thanks to Whitley's obsession with them. For some reason, her little brother refused to drink from a glass. He wouldn't notice if a few bottles were missing from his collection.

There was a knock on the door that was followed by a mellow bark.

"My rose?" came the soft question.

"Come in, kitten," Ruby permitted.

When Blake entered with a few more snacks in hand, Ruby greeted her with a smile.

"You don't have to knock. You're always welcome."

"I know," Blake said happily. "I just like to give you a heads up."

Zwei pranced up to the arrival and softly rubbed her leg. In response, Blake gave him a swift pat on the head in between those broad ears.

"Are you helping Ruby pack?"

A bark.

"He's a great helper," Ruby chirped. "Except when it comes to food. I had to do that part by myself."

Blake faintly chuckled as she gazed down at the eager dog. "What would we do without you?"

After, the faunus placed the food in the side pocket of the bag that was resting on the red bed.

"Checking up on things?" Ruby questioned.

"Mhm," Blake hummed in acknowledgement. "Do you have the flashlight?"

"Check. Even though we don't need it because Yang."

Blake placed her hands on her hips. "What about a rope?"

"Check."

A sly smile. "You can read my mind."

"Mhm," Ruby sassily replied.

After Blake giggled, she asked. "Extra bullets?"

"Why, of course. Is that even a question? This is my sweet Crescent Rose we're talking about."

"Right, my bad," the faunus said in amusement. "I think you have everything."

"Do you have everything?" Ruby asked to make sure.

Swiftly, Blake pecked her on the cheek. "Now I do."

"Aw," Ruby blushed and looked away as she waved her hand.

Blake gave her a timid smile. "I just had to put the last snacks in there. I think we're good now," she observed, deep in thought. "The rest is up to Yang and Weiss. Normally, I wouldn't trust Yang to handle this alone, but Weiss is with her, so…"

Ruby laughed dryly. "They've got this. Hey, wanna take Ozpin's advice and relax?"

Blake sent her a smug grin. "Is that even a question?"

Happily, Ruby plopped on the red sofa in the center of her room with her arms opened wide. Without warning, the corgi hopped on her lap.

Having not expecting him, Ruby yelped. "Ah, Zwei! Not you!"

A whimper.

"Sorry," Ruby apologized. "I guess you can stay. Do you mind, Blake?"

"Not at all," Blake reassured. "Just scoot over."

While Ruby adjusted herself and the giddy dog, Blake flicked on the T.V. After, the faunus sat next to her girlfriend while Zwei was relaxing in both of their laps.

"Aw," Ruby cooed. "Isn't this cute?"

Fondly, Ruby rested her head on the taller girl's shoulder as they held hands and stared at the screen. Whatever channel the network was on didn't matter. All that mattered was each other.

"Adorable," Blake agreed while one of her hands stroked Zwei's fur. The other was interlocked with her girlfriend's. "I hope the mission goes well. The last one was really dangerous."

"Remember," Ruby began. "That was back when we couldn't see grimm."

"I guess that's true," Blake admitted as cat ears leaned back.

Concerned, Ruby leaned up. "Hey, what's wrong? Your ears are all droopy."

"I can't forget what happened with that king taijitu."

Ruby blushed from the memory of the couple's first kiss back then. "It was nice…"

"Not what I meant," Blake shook her head. "You almost died. You couldn't breathe. I thought I lost you."

"Blake," Ruby set a hand on her cheek. "I'm here now. I'm okay."

Blake gulped as she tightened her grip on her girlfriend's hand. "What I'm trying to say is that I want you to watch out for yourself more. You got hurt because you worried too much for your teammates," when Ruby looked confused, Blake continued. "Don't get me wrong, it's an admirable quality. I love it, but you need to worry about yourself more often, my rose. I don't want you to get hurt. Especially if that can be avoided."

Ruby faintly grinned and slowly lowered her hand off her soft cheek. "I feel the same way, kitten. I care about you. All of you. I can't promise that I won't protect you when I have the chance, but I can try to think of other ways that involve less danger. If there's time to think, that is."

"I understand," Blake conceded. "If I saw a way to protect any of you, I'd take it in a heartbeat. But this is more than just pest control. This is so much more dangerous."

Ruby squeezed her hand and leaned in to whisper. "Which is why our team watches out for us."

It was then that Ruby leaned in for a kiss on the lips. To ease any of her worries. That seemed to do the trick as Blake melted into the contact. Zwei remained still on their laps with a smug grin.

Gentle hands trailed along Blake's back as the kiss became deeper. Happy to be enveloped with her girlfriend's love, she returned the affection full force with a smile.

Adoration for one another overflowed in a moment.

Eager to return the kiss, Blake's tongue sought entrance and glided along her girlfriend's lips. Catching the hint, Ruby opened her mouth, allowing her girlfriend's tongue to shoot forward.

As a result, they sparked like electricity. There was a yearning need for each other's love as hands roamed along their bodies.

Since they were getting physical, Zwei hopped off the couch and waddled to a corner to give them some privacy. Whatever was on T.V. suddenly looked really interesting.

Blake had always craved Ruby, but she had no idea this much desire could flow through a person at one time. Unable to resist, Blake threw her arms around the shorter girl's shoulders. Ruby smiled on her lips and wrapped her arms around her waist, pressing together tightly.

Hands fondly tightened on the back of Ruby's head. Blake was careful to not yank her soft dark hair as she slowly pulled apart. The two gazed into each other, blushing crimson.

Blake couldn't pry away from those shimmering silver eyes. "You know I love you, right?"

She'd been wanting to say that for _so_ long. This moment felt so right.

As Ruby gazed at her girlfriend, golden orbs sparked in the dimly lit room. She looked even more beautiful if that was possible. The confession was hardly a surprise. Deep down, Ruby knew it all along. Blake's actions spoke so much louder than words. Words weren't needed, but it was still lovely to hear that sweet melody.

"I know," Ruby grinned widely. "I love you, too, my sweet kitten. In case you haven't realized."

Blake gave her the signature sly smile as she lovingly gazed at her. Naturally, their lips pressed together again.

Blake found herself thinking that she didn't want to let her go, causing her to hold on tighter. Ruby must've felt the same way as she pulled her closely in an embrace. When they were pressed together like this, it was comforting to feel the other's heart soaring.

The confession made them even closer as adoration and passion for the other burst in a swirl of red and black.

Dozens and hundreds of peppering kisses ensued.

* * *

 **That confession was loooong overdue!**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	47. Freezerburn Movie Date

While the ladybug couple rested at home, the freezerburn pair decided to go out to the movies.

Since it was a Thursday afternoon, no one was in the theater. The only souls present were the lovey-dovey couple, who were cuddling. The armrest was lifted up, so they could snuggle closely.

Some action movie was playing in front of them on the massive screen. Yang seemed to be really into it, unable to pry her eyes away from the screen. However, Weiss could care less about the movie. Azure pools were glued to her girlfriend's beautiful face. The random lighting accented Yang's features in the darkness.

 _How?_ Weiss asked herself. _How is she so gorgeous and how did I get so lucky?_

For a while, Yang had been aware that her girlfriend had been ogling. She certainly knew how to flatter her. It was time to give her some attention. It reminded her of how an adorable puppy begs for food.

Casually, Yang glanced down at her princess, who rested her head on her shoulder. "Can't take your eyes off me, huh?"

"Mhm," was hummed in agreement. "It's your fault for being so beautiful."

If Yang wasn't flattered before, she definitely was now. Her cheeks flushed crimson. In response, Weiss wrapped her closer like she couldn't get enough of her. Even though the theater smelled like popcorn, Yang's natural lemonade aroma overpowered it. Just her smell spoke volumes of her personality. The thought made Weiss hug her tighter.

From the action, the blonde squealed. Her heart melted. "I don't think you have any idea of how adorable you are."

Unable to hold back, Weiss curled her fingers around the blonde's head. "Shut up and kiss me, brute."

Yang gave her the widest grin she'd ever seen. "Your wish is my command, princess."

Gingerly, the couple leaned in and ensnared lips.

It didn't take long for the kiss to become more firm, more loving and more affectionate.

Being a busybody, Weiss grazed her fingers through the blonde hair she'd grown to love. All while they were locked together in passionate contact. The mere contact sent flowing waves through their bodies as Yang's grip around Weiss' back became more firm.

To Weiss, Yang tasted like how she smelled. Like lemonade.

To Yang, Weiss tasted like sweet peppermint.

The movie was still playing in the background, but that hardly mattered.

After a few ethereal moments, Yang slowly separated to meet those eyes.

"Someone's frisky," Yang mumbled with a smile.

"Am not," Weiss' cheeks flushed even redder if that was possible.

With a smirk, slowly, Yang leaned in to her girlfriend's ears. When her lips were right next to them, she murmured.

"Are too."

The seductive comment caused shivers to shoot up Weiss' spine. Her breath was gentle and tickled her ear.

There was a yearning in lilac and azure eyes.

Yang gazed at her blushing girlfriend as the warm and fuzzy feeling overflowed her being. "C'mere you."

Happy to oblige, Weiss connected their lips once more.

As the kiss deepened, Weiss draped her arms around her lover's neck. Yang reeled her in, embracing her tightly. Not wanting her to wait, Yang shot her tongue forward to meet Weiss' own eager muscle.

Vigor and passion for each other grew.

This sent shockwaves down their spines. They needed- craved- more of each other.

Somehow, Yang rolled over and bore down on her, matching her girlfriend's ferocity.

Her strong hands straddled either side of the priestess' shoulders. This elicited a soft moan from Weiss, but it was muffled with their mouths ensnared.

Yang was as red as a tomato when she felt Weiss' gentle and feather-like touches, yet as her silken hands continued to roam along her body, she never ventured too far.

Their kissing sounded like ocean waves washing on a beach. Neither of them have ever felt this intoxicated for the other before. The comfort they found in each other clouded their minds as they came together in a heat of passion.

Their bodies pressed together. Since Yang was on top, she was careful not to lay completely on her girlfriend. Yang was known for being rough, but she was always gentle when it came to her girlfriend. Weiss didn't seem to mind her weight and tried to pull her closer, her arms tightly around her back.

Affection for one another sent them into overdrive.

There were constant, loving kisses all over their bodies. At one point, Weiss slightly leaned up and sucked on her lover's soft neck. This elicited a moan, causing Weiss to smile from the sweet melody.

From the lovely noise, Weiss kept lightly sucking. Must've been a sweet spot. She didn't want to leave a mark, so she was gentle with her soft skin. To her mild annoyance, Yang pulled away and leaned up to gaze down at her, her cheeks red.

Weiss let her arms fall behind her. Her white hair sprawled over the chairs in the theater.

Those yearning lilac orbs glimmered with passion, matching azure.

"Yang?" she asked, worried. "Is something wrong?"

Yang was dazed as she watched her girlfriend's wrists settle above her head. It was as if she was inviting her girlfriend to pin them down.

As Weiss gazed up at Yang, she noticed that her gentle violet eyes shifted to a feral appearance.

She liked that.

Hardly, Yang gulped to compose herself. "N-nothing. You take my breath away is all."

With a grin, Weiss wrapped her arms around her back and pulled her close. At first, Yang was worried about crushing her, but that didn't seem to be a problem for Weiss at all. She just wanted to be as close as possible.

"Come here."

Happily, Yang nuzzled into her neck as the two embraced.

There was a sudden noise in the silence. Like the trashcan was being smacked. Realizing that they were doing this in the movie theater, the couple separated in a fluster. They almost forgot that they were in a public area. Anyone could walk in. They were located in the back, but still.

Apparently, the movie had already finished and the credits were rolling.

"Uh," Yang muttered. "I guess we s-should get outta here."

As Weiss leaned up, Yang slowly crawled back to get off her.

"I suppose," the priestess agreed, although there was some sadness in her tone.

Yang noticed this. "You can't get enough of me, huh?"

As the couple stood to leave, Weiss replied. "You're incorrigible."

The couple held hands as they exited the room. After that breathtaking moment, Weiss needed some time to collect herself. She saw her chance when the ladies' restroom appeared.

"I'll be right back," she gave Yang's hand a squeeze before walking in.

"Mkay."

Finally, Weiss had a moment to herself as she stared at the mirror. Her hair was frazzled and in disarray. Yang didn't have that problem since her blonde mane was naturally wild. The blush refused to leave her cheeks as she leaned over the counter to compose herself.

 _Yang… she's… when I think she couldn't be more perfect_.

Even her thoughts were jumbled as she recalled the previous sensations. It was like she was in a daze as she only thought about her beloved girlfriend.

In realization, Weiss placed a hand over her lips.

 _Am I…?_

Before she could ponder that, someone pinned her to the wall, which elicited a high-pitched yelp. Weiss was about to struggle against the attacker, but-

"Yang!"

Her girlfriend that refused to leave her thoughts for a moment. Yang was smiling genuinely at her as her strong arms kept Weiss' own above her head and against the wall.

"What're you-"

Without a word, Yang went in for a hungry kiss.

The kiss was sloppy. Unexpected.

Full of love.

After a few moments, Yang separated and let her arms fall to her sides. Weiss was left there, gawking at her girlfriend. When she was speechless, Yang stammered.

"S-sorry."

Weiss was taken aback. "What on Earth are you apologizing for?"

 _She made my heart leap out of my chest for what felt like the thousandth time today._

"I probably scared you for a second, huh?"

Weiss could feel her cheeks heat up as she glided her fingers over her lips. "You have nothing to worry about. That was… nice."

"Yeah?" Yang perked up from the comment. "Sorry it wasn't someplace romantic. The bathroom isn't my style."

In silence, Weiss pulled her in for a hug.

"You're perfect."

* * *

The large black mass loomed in the forest.

After the massive beringel slammed on the ground, it dented the planet.

This caused Emerald and Mercury to fly backward with grunts. The grimm landed with such force that it made the ground skew and split up, splattering debris.

It roared with menace before baring its large fangs. The red eyes pierced the darkness as it hobbled around several trees, looking for its prey.

In the distance, Cinder was watching with calculating eyes. Her minions held their own against the massive grimm. This gorilla was far larger than any other grimm she conjured. It'd taken a good chunk of aura from her. It was worth it to track their progress.

It was clear that the two were struggling against the tank of a gorilla. That was to be expected. She wasn't disappointed. Just amused to watch them be tossed around like toys.

Cinder clutched the piece of the relic in her grasp. Normally, it was a dull white pallor. As she held it and leaked her dark aura into it, the blackness consumed the white. It flickered for a moment before it was clouded with darkness.

She watched this with interest. For a moment, she almost forgot about her loyal minions. It wasn't until they shrieked in pain did she spare them her attention.

After an annoyed scoff, Cinder snapped her fingers. This instantly caused the beringel to begin the process of withering away, breaking off into tiny specks that swirled into the night. She did it right on time, too. Just before its train-like arm could ram into Mercury.

Seeing as the grimm was vanishing, the minions sighed in relief as they panted from the workout.

Mercury was hunched over his knees. "Thank you, my lady. That was a close one."

"Hush now, Mercury," Cinder advised solemnly. "Save your breath."

When Emerald caught her breath, she tried to stand tall. To not show any weakness and that she was capable of handling something like a massive gorilla grimm.

"My lady," Emerald addressed formally. "Is _it_ working?"

Cinder huffed with arrogance as the shard she was clutching tightened. "Very thoroughly."

Intrigued by the news, Mercury stood upright after he collected himself. "Does this mean we can get the next relic soon?"

"Patience is key," Cinder reminded with a smug smirk. To satisfy herself, she gazed up at the sky knowingly. "We'll wait just a little longer and strike when they least expect it."

"Good," Emerald almost growled. "She's going to pay for what she did to you."

Glad that her followers were just as eager, Cinder smirked.

"We'll get our chance. Again."

* * *

 **This is the outline for the first scene:**

 **Freezerburn hot and heavy scene oh lala.** **Movie theater-empty. W thinks she's in love when she glances at Y in dark. beautiful.** **W rly wants to kiss. Y notices and is like omg lez do this.** **After movie-pinned in the ladies' restroom. Since it's thursday during school week no one is here. End it with a hug.** **W KNOWS she's in love now. Dayum.**

… **this is how my outlines usually look.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	48. The Speed of Puns

After school on Friday, it was finally time to head out.

Ahead of time, Ruby, Blake, and Yang told Taiyang their excuse. As predicted, he didn't ask many questions and let them live their spontaneous teenage lives. Only if they were back in time for school, which of course they should be.

Weiss had told Klein that she'd be at a friend's house. When he asked if it was Blake's, she nodded. This way, at least Klein had some semblance of safety he could cling to. This way, he'd think his precious Snowflake was in good hands for the weekend.

The team stood in front of Goodwitch, who was preparing Wanda. On Yang's back was her bright yellow bag with her's and Weiss' things inside. Around Blake's back was the red and black bag with her's and Ruby's things.

The team had already gone through the checklist of possible things they'd need for the journey. They had no idea what was in store, so they wanted to be prepared for anything.

The next piece of the relic was waiting for someone to snatch it.

For their departure, Goodwitch was at the temple to send the team off. Ozpin couldn't be there since the school required his attention as headmaster. He wasn't absolutely needed, so it was no big deal that he wasn't there. Glynda had to be there to give them her beloved broom, and some last minute advice.

After Glynda was done polishing Wanda, she carefully handed her treasure to Yang. The blonde accepted it with a smile.

"Thanks, Glyn."

Goodwitch nodded as she gazed at the four teammates. "It's a three-hour flight via broom. She has enough magical energy to last a full week. She should be good to go as long as you don't recklessly waste her energy," she was about to add that they'd fall out of the sky if Yang did so, but Weiss seemed nervous enough, so the professor held her tongue. "Just don't goof off."

Blake gave the professor a look. "You know who you're talking to, right?"

Glynda sighed after she pushed up her glasses. "I know saying it won't help," she glanced at Yang's teammates. "Try to keep her in line."

Ruby dryly laughed. "We'll try."

"No need to worry!" Yang playfully pat her teacher on the back. "We got this in the bag!"

From that, Glynda scowled and crossed her arms. "I've installed the coordinates, so if you travel off course, Wanda will automatically adjust to the correct path."

Weiss perked an amused brow. "Like an autopilot mode?"

"Precisely."

In relief, the priestess sighed. At least there was some hope of staying on track. She'd been worried about directions for a while now. Having a map definitely eased her nerves. Orders and guidelines were her style. For this mission, there was no such thing.

"Wanda~" Yang cheerfully sang. "Extend."

On command, the broom extended. Its stick grew about a meter.

After Yang took the front and adjusted herself on the broom, she pat the seat behind her. "Hop on!"

Reluctantly, Weiss got on the stick and behind her girlfriend. At least she could hug her tightly the whole ride. She tried to hug her girlfriend, but...

"Um, Yang?"

"Yes, my princess?"

"The bag…"

The yellow bag was preventing her from holding her torso as planned. Since Weiss wasn't fond of Wanda, the team decided it was best for her to be comforted by her girlfriend in the middle.

"Oh right," Yang chirped and slid the bag off her. "Who can hold it?"

"I'll do it," Blake volunteered.

"But Blake!" Ruby interjected, worry in her tone. "You're already carrying our bag."

Despite her girlfriend's pleas, Blake grabbed the yellow bag and tossed it around one of her shoulders. Now two bags that were red and black, and yellow crossed over her back in an 'x'.

"It doesn't matter, they're not that heavy," the faunus reassured. "I'm the last one in the lineup, anyways. It's easier this way."

Yang sent her a grin. "Good thinkin', Blakey."

Blake was the last and behind all of them since she didn't mind heights. Plus, she wanted to hug her beloved rose from behind. Since it was Ruby's first ride, she wasn't allowed on the back. She had to get used to the feeling of flying first. Blake was protective of her and wrapped her arms tightly around her girlfriend. She wouldn't fall off if she could help it.

Ruby was positioned behind Weiss. Mainly so the priestess would feel more sense of security. Like this, hopefully, her nerves would be eased.

Weiss peaked over Ruby's shoulder to gaze at the faunus. "Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"If it gets to be too much of a hassle I'll just hand one of them to someone," Blake shrugged off. "It'll be fine. Let's get going."

After a smug smirk, Goodwitch lifted her arm.

"Are you four ready to go?"

To calm her, Yang made sure Weiss' hands were firmly around her taut stomach.

Ruby nodded. "We're ready," with that, she hugged Weiss closer as she felt the arms around her own torso tighten.

With permission, Glynda snapped her fingers. This caused the broom to slowly lift off the floor.

From the feeling of suddenly floating, Ruby murmured. "Woah…"

Glynda was sure to be careful with the departure. After that, it was up to Yang. Wanda slowly turned toward the large double doors of the temple that were already open.

"Off you go. Good luck, team RWBY."

Before anyone could thank her, Glynda swatted her hand like a fly was there. In response, the broom accelerated as multiple yelps ensued. In a second, the team was out of sight and the temple was left in silence.

Abruptly, the team shot out of the temple like a rocket. From this, several birds squawked and abandoned their nests. It was clear Yang had full control as she zoomed around trees.

From Weiss' high-pitched squeals, Ruby squeezed her tighter to provide comfort. She felt bad for feeling like she was on top of the world while her friend was losing her composure.

The broom was twisting and turning as Yang had an iron grip. The takeoff was always the hardest part, but she enjoyed the feeling of the wind slapping her face.

" _Yang_ on!" the blonde yelled over the wind.

Since the wind was whipping so fast, no one wanted to reply or give her crap for the lame pun.

That was the signal to tighten and scoot even closer to each other. When Yang felt a forehead on her back, she steered the broom up to launch into the sky. To help, Blake kicked the back on the bristles.

It was a gradual ascent rather than abrupt. Yang figured her friends would appreciate that, and smiled from the random burst of energy that came from the faunus. She definitely loved this broom.

It only took a few seconds to soar above the treeline. The only sounds were the violent winds as Yang kept tilting upward, trusting the rest of her team to hang on. When she deemed them to be high up enough, she allowed the broom to turn to autopilot mode.

Wanda seemed to agree that was a decent spot, only adjusting slightly. The broom gradually soared just a few more feet and slowed. Now, the team was calmly floating hundreds of feet off the ground. Any trees below them looked like blobs of green and clumped together.

Thank god it was a nice day outside. Otherwise, this would've been much more difficult. The sky was a light blue, there was the occasional breeze.

Knowing that her job was done, Yang's grip loosened and she glanced over her shoulder to check on her teammates.

Before she could ask if everyone was okay, Ruby shouted. "That was awesome!"

Her shout echoed for what felt like miles.

From her reaction, Yang grinned. "Glad you liked it, Rubes."

Now that they were peacefully floating to their destination, Blake's giggles could be heard all the way from the back. "I haven't had that much fun in a long time."

The blonde hummed in acknowledgment as she glanced down at the girl behind her. Weiss didn't see her reaction since her face was buried in her back. A blush grazed Yang's cheeks from the contact. Now that the ride wasn't hectic, Yang could be attentive to her girlfriend.

"How're you holdin' up?"

"I-I'm fine," Weiss more or less choked out.

To reassure her, Ruby squeezed her from behind and Yang held one of her hands that was on her stomach. This caused Weiss to lift up her head. She was about to say something, but Yang captured those lips with her own.

From the sight, Ruby blushed and looked away at Blake. Noticing her reaction, Blake tilted her head.

"Ruby? What's wrong?"

"N-nothing!"

A second later, the freezerburn couple separated.

"Are ya feeling okay now?" Yang asked with the wiggle of her brow.

Fondly, Weiss leaned onto her back. "I can't say that I'm not."

"Guess I…" Yang paused for dramatic effect. " _Swept you off your feet_."

Multiple groans.

"Hey," the blonde started, almost sounding offended. "Don't act like you don't like them. Drunk Weiss loved my puns!"

"She was drunk," Blake pointed out bluntly. "Her ability to differentiate good jokes from bad ones was severely impaired."

The priestess nodded in agreement. "What she said."

"I know that's false," the blonde said firmly.

Ruby scoffed in feign annoyance. "Get over yourself."

Yang proudly placed a hand over her chest. "Moi is confident."

Weiss pecked the back of her head. "Your modesty is showing."

That earned a giggle.

Now that Weiss got a look around, she realized that there was nothing to fear. The casual conversation definitely kept her mind distracted. Besides the occasional yells of her teammates, it was peaceful. They were floating calmly, the sky was a pleasant blue hue. The sun was shining delicately to the side and wasn't blinding.

"Why was the broom late?" Yang asked in the silence.

More groans. The team already knew what was coming.

"It over _swept_!"

To add more effect, Yang slapped her knee cheerfully.

Blake leaned into Ruby's ear, which caused a blush to form. "Want to make a bet on how many puns she makes?"

The sudden whisper caused Ruby's ear to tickle. "How many do you think she'll say?"

"Hard to say," the faunus murmured. "She's already made three and it hasn't even been five minutes."

Ruby tried to do the math in her head. "Let's see. It's a three-hour ride. Three hours is one-hundred eighty minutes. Let's assume that she does make three puns every five minutes…"

Blake just stared at her girlfriend with her jaw slightly agape. Ruby kept mumbling to herself, so most of the explanation was incoherent. After Blake's cat ear flickered, she caught the last few calculations.

"The speed of her puns would have to leave her mouth around two syllables half a second- meaning-" Ruby gasped from the epiphany. "Sixty puns in three hours."

Blake's jaw was dropped. "Uh… then I'll guess sixty-one."

"Ugh, Blake!" Ruby yelped. "You're going to be 'that guy'?"

The faunus giggled and pulled her in tighter. "Yep."

Ruby sighed. "Our ears are gonna burn off."

Lovingly, Blake leaned in and kissed the top of Ruby's ear. "I'll try to keep it on for you."

While Ruby blushed from the contact, Yang yelled.

"Jeez, get a _broom_ you two!"

Frustrated, Ruby yelped. "Shut up!"

"Woah, woah!" Yang replied. "No need to be so _bristly_."

Just as the blonde said that, the broom's bristles grazed Blake's leg. This caused her to frown.

"Weiss!" the faunus called. "Do something about her! She's your girlfriend!"

"If I could, I would!" Weiss shouted. "Besides, she's your sister! You do something!"

" _Cat_ fight," Yang subtly commented.

Blake's cat ears flicked. "Oh my god."

Ruby looked like she had seen a ghost. "S-she's on fire. My calculations might be wrong!"

From Yang's comment, Weiss tightened her hold around her waist.

"I'm this close to strangling you, my dear girlfriend."

In response, Yang quickly twisted around to face her. A quick peck on the lips was all it took. Yang then faced ahead with the widest grin. Weiss was left speechless as she rested her face onto her back.

From the sight, Ruby's mouth dropped. "We lost her!"

Yang laughed to herself. "At least we're not lost at _Schnee-_ " Before she could finish her joke, a tiny black mass slammed into her face. "Oomph!"

Concerned, Blake leaned over to see what shut her up. However, the broom wiggled a bit from impact, but adjusted quickly. The mass bounced of Yang's face and began to fall to the ground, its wings useless. The team didn't feel too bad. The red eyes told them that it was just another tiny nevermore.

"Birdy no!" Ruby reached out for it as it plummeted, but it was too late. The grimm already withered away.

Blake gazed down at it in awe. "One hit KO…"

Ruby's jaw was dropped as her hand was still reached out. Blake placed a hand on her shoulder.

"It's not coming back. It's gone now."

Yang chimed in with a mischievous tone. "Looks like it's flying south for the winter."

Weiss groaned. "Yang. Stop."

"There's no stop signs up here, princess."

A long, shaky breath.

It was going to be a long ride.

* * *

 **If you didn't laugh at least once, then I have failed. That was fun to write. My friends from Legion205 helped with majority of the puns, so thanks guys!**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	49. That Was Shocking

"Time _flew_ , huh?"

After three hours of riding with Yang, her team didn't have the resolve to groan. That had to be the millionth pun during the broom ride.

"Finally!" Ruby cheered. "We made it!"

"Thank goodness…" Weiss murmured.

Yang lightly huffed. "I guess it's time to stop torturing you guys with my puns."

Blake leaned over her girlfriend's shoulder with a smirk. "You think?"

After Yang playfully rolled her eyes, she steered the broom above the floating island. She'd been slowly lowering her team for a while now. The four couldn't stop gawking at the beautiful area. The island itself was about two miles wide and long. Every inch was scoured with vibrant trees like a rainforest. Mountains and cliffs surrounded the perimeter to protect it from any threats. There were a few tiny waterfalls that cascaded over smaller bodies of water.

It was a good thing that the team wore athletic clothes and exercise shorts. The closer to the ground they got, the more humid and warmer it was. It was like the island emitted its own warm aura. Like it wasn't even part of this planet. Like it was its own world.

Blake smiled from the sudden warmth. "Guess we won't be needing our coats."

Ruby nodded in agreement. "Better too hot than cold."

Yang was strategic in the landing, so she hovered near the center. Glynda had said that the pond was located in the center of the island, and that's where the relic should be.

After Yang dodged around some trees, she carefully hovered over the dirt ground. Eager, her teammates hopped off and met the ground, giving their bodies several different stretches. Being on the broom for so long made them stiff. Yang joined her team after she made sure Wanda was deactivated to save its magical energy.

"This place is awesome!" Ruby chirped. "Does it have a name?"

"Dunce," Weiss said bluntly. "Normal people don't even know it exists. It's not on any maps."

"Is that a 'no'?"

"Yes, dolt," Weiss replied.

Ruby placed her hands on her hips in determination. "Then we'll have to think of one."

"First, let's get the relic," eager to find it, Blake grabbed her girlfriend's hand. The large pond was just ahead as the two walked forward. "Let's go. Being up here is nice and all, but it gives me the creeps."

Just knowing that they were floating several dozen miles in the sky was unsettling. She couldn't shake the feeling. Based on her team's reactions, they agreed.

They walked for a few minutes before reaching the massive circular pond. It was coated in darkness and muddy. From the previous above view, the other ponds were light blue. Kind of like swimming pools, but not this one. Not even Blake's keen vision could pierce through the darkness.

"Ew," Ruby cringed. "Who'd wanna go in that?"

"Disgusting," Weiss commented.

Yang didn't care about the look of the pond and asked. "Is the relic here, Blakey?"

Now alert, cat ears perked up. Amber eyes narrowed as she searched for the center of the pond. Sure enough, smack dab in the center, was the shard. What piqued Blake's interest was that it was floating.

"It's right there," Blake pointed straight ahead.

Weiss perked an amused brow. "You mean it's just floating there?"

Blake gave her a look. "We're on a floating island. Are you really surprised?"

"Good point," the priestess conceded.

"Alright!" Yang said cheerfully. "That was easy."

"I'm not getting wet," Blake shuddered from the thought. She was never fond of water. "Someone get it."

Yang grabbed the broom from her yellow bag and set the bag on the ground. "I'll go get it."

"Wait," Weiss placed a hand on her shoulder, which stopped her. "This might be another trap."

From the beginning, Yang had considered that. She was aware that something may go wrong like the other times, but she was counting on her team this time. "It's a risk we have to take. I'm counting on my team to back me up."

Ruby nodded firmly. "You got it, Yang."

After a hum of acknowledgment, Yang kicked the broom and flew over the murky pond. Blake was sure to keep a watchful eye on her as her form became a yellow blob. Just before Yang could reach the small shard, a giant head shot out of the water below with its jaws wide.

"Woah!"

Was all Yang could yelp before the mouth clamped shut.

"Yang!?" Weiss yelped.

From watching her sister disappear, Ruby gasped. "OhmygodYang!"

The monster that devoured the brawler sprouted from the pond and grew several feet.

The three teammates stepped back to get a good look at the opponent.

It looked like some kind of water dragon that emanated darkness. Most grimm have red eyes, but this one had two yellow orbs that flashed threateningly. It adorned a spiked spine and had two short arms with a scaled underbelly. To make it look bigger, its gills puffed out like an angry beta was a skyscraper.

The beast's roar was deafening and echoed for miles. Every tree on the island rumbled from the sharp vibrations.

After composing herself, Blake poised her katana. "Screw the water! Weiss!"

"On it!"

In a second, Weiss summoned a black propulsion glyph. Blake eagerly hopped inside as the priestess flung her toward the beast like a slingshot. In midair, Blake conjured up a clone as the monster roared.

Strategically, Blake was able to use her clone, having it kick her down right on top of the angry sea dragon. With a war cry, Blake rammed her sword in between a few spikes that acted as armor. However, the scaly skin was much harder than it appeared to be.

As a result, Blake bounced off the sea monster's spine with a yelp. She almost crashed into the water, but the spiky tail whirled around and whipped her back with full force. A fragile yep tore from her lungs.

"Agh!"

It was so violent that she skidded across the pond and into the forestry.

"Blake!" Instantly, Ruby darted after her with her semblance.

All she left behind was a trail of red. Weiss was left with her rapier wondering what to do. As if to pause her thinking, the beast ripped out another bellow that caused the large pond to shake and form mini-whirlpools. The sea dragon began to hack and spasm vigorously. Its body was vibrating and those powerful jaws were agape. It was like it trying to hack up a nasty, fiery hairball.

"That could only be…"

Weiss just watched, hoping that Yang was wreaking havoc on its internal system. After a resounding ripple, the blonde shot out of the mouth like a yellow spitball.

"Woo!"

Yang was having the time of her life as she flew on the broom while covered in green slime.

The priestess cupped her hands over her mouth. "You idiot!" seeing her girlfriend acting so cheerful meant one of many things. She was okay. Overwhelming relief washed over her.

Yang perked up from the yell and glided over to her girlfriend. By now, the ladybug couple joined up with Weiss. It was time to regroup to think of a plan.

"This stuff's disgusting," Yang commented with a cringe, trying to wipe some slime off on the grass.

Weiss gave her a smirk. "You should be used to it by now."

"You'd think so," Yang agreed.

"Please don't make it a habit to be eaten," Weiss said.

Seeing her blonde girlfriend was alive made Weiss want to hug her, but not with all that greenish slime around her form.

Ruby gazed at her sister. "Are you sure you're good?"

"Yeah," the brawler reassured. "Stupid grimm's got nothin' on me. I'm the dragon around here, bud."

When Ruby knew her sister was okay, she focused back on the grimm. The sea dragon slithered in the water and around the edge like a predator. If it could get on land, it would have by now to finish them off. It had to stay in the water.

Yang frowned at the intimidating beast. "I've never seen anything like it. I didn't think there was water grimm!"

Like the monster knew it was a spectacle, it shot out of the water and gave another roar. This time, yellow puffs of air spewed from the beast.

Blake crouched low to the ground, ready to move. "Dragon breath?"

The attack whizzed out of its mouth and headed straight for the team. Since they had no idea what came from the mouth, they rolled and dodged, not wanting to find out the hard way. The vegetation they previously stood in withered away like ash.

"What the hell was that?!" Yang yelped.

Weiss growled as she kept her eyes firmly on the beast. "Let's not find out. Where's the weak spot?"

"No idea," Yang breathed, still in awe from the size of the mammoth.

Ruby smirked, already having a plan. "Checkmate the gills!"

While Weiss summoned several glyphs for her and Blake to run on in midair, Ruby distracted the beastly tower by getting directly in front of the monster. When her friends flanked the sides, Ruby aimed her sniper rifle directly at one of its yellow eyes. Like an expert marksman, she nailed the left eye. It popped like bubble wrap and oozed a yellow liquid as it screamed.

While the sea dragon writhed in pain, Blake and Weiss sliced off each puffy gill on its sides. That caused the monster to screech even louder. It almost made the faunus to go deaf. Her ears rang incessantly.

Weiss tried to focus to catch Blake with her glyphs, but they were already plummeting. It was difficult to concentrate when her own world was spinning. To make matters worse, the grimm was directly behind them. The two screamed as they were about to ram into the water. Weiss didn't have time-

-Until Yang flew in with the broom. On time, she was able to catch her girlfriend in her lap while Blake landed directly behind them on her rear. From the impact, Wanda sank, but quickly adjusted.

Weiss would've found being in her girlfriend's lap romantic if Yang wasn't covered in slime.

Blake smirked as the three flew away from the wailing beast. "Thanks for that!"

"No prob!"

"My hero," Weiss said softly.

Before Yang could steer them to a safe distance, its ugly head lunged. Since Weiss was in her lap, Yang held onto her and the broom tightly for what she was about to do. Luckily, Blake was behind them and never took her eyes off the enemy, so she had an iron grip. Yang narrowly twisted away from its fangs and propelled forward.

In the distance, Ruby yelled. "Arms!"

The stubby arms weren't an issue so far, but it'd do more critical damage if they chopped those off as well.

"Ready!?" Yang yelled.

From the yell, Weiss carefully maneuvered herself to lowly crouch in her girlfriend's lap. "Now!"

With that, Yang whirled back around and flicked the pair off the broom. It was like she pitched two fastballs. White and black spun relentlessly until they slammed into each arm with a clean cut. The rapier and katana slurped the stubby appendages. The red arms fell off the body like deadweight as the beast roared and thrashed.

To catch them, Yang steered Wanda to the pair that were tumbling down. Luckily, Weiss and Blake grabbed onto each other as they fell, so this time it was easier to catch both of them.

Before Yang could swoop away from the beast's deadly mouth, another round of the yellow smoke spewed out. It was a direct hit for the driver, and Yang yelped before spasming. It was like she was electrocuted as sparks flew around her form. Her entire body shook before she went limp.

Blake was right behind her and grabbed her before she could fall off the broom. "Yang!?"

"Yang?!" Weiss yelped. "Is she okay?!"

There was no response from the brawler as Blake held her up.

Another roar.

Gritting her teeth, Blake held tightly onto Yang and tried to take control of the broom. She hastily steered it away from the infuriated dragon as she coddled the blonde. Yang was firmly on her lap as Blake leaned over her to steer. This proved to be difficult since the broom twitched constantly, not allowing full control.

"Stupid thing!" Blake cursed.

It would've been easier if she wasn't holding onto Yang. The faunus could try to hand her backward to Weiss, but that would be way too risky. Especially with an angry sea dragon on their tail.

"Are you okay to steer?!" Weiss yelled over the winds. "I can hold her-"

The monster almost reared its ugly head directly into the three, but it recoiled with another shriek. Somehow, the sniper managed to nail its other eye. The amount of pain the grimm must've experienced forced it to tilt into the water.

In relief, Weiss met Ruby's gaze down below. "Nice shot, dolt."

The impact caused the water to swirl in a mini tsunami. Since Ruby bought them time, Blake took this as her chance to reach the ground unceremoniously. Since she wasn't used to landing, they skidded to a halt and tumbled on the dirt. Blake was sure to tuck Yang closely into her chest and shielded her as they tumbled.

The three flopped on the dirt and eventually came to a stop. The moment they were still, Ruby was by them in a heartbeat. The red-caped girl knelt next to the three that clumped together.

"Guys?! Are you okay?! How's Yang?!"

She watched her sister get shocked and go limp, so her pressing concern was for Yang. Her other friends simply took a hard fall. Ruby almost touched them, but was almost afraid to do so.

Carefully, Blake laid Yang on the ground. The faunus was quick to gain her bearings as dirt scoured her form. "I think she got electrocuted."

Yang was limp on the ground with her eyes shut. Her face was covered in dirt and her body coated in slime. The battle definitely showed on her.

Hastily, Weiss cupped her girlfriend's cheeks. "Yang, wake up! Please!"

Yang's face didn't even flinch, but her lips slightly parted. The reply was feeble, but contained her typical boisterous personality.

"Since you said 'please.'"

Ruby breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank god. Yang, are you okay? Please tell me you're okay?"

"That was…" Yang paused as she opened those lilac eyes. " _Shocking_."

Weiss had never been so happy to hear her crack a pun. "You brute."

Fondly, she caressed her cheek as Yang leaned up with a grimace. To help coax her up, Weiss laid a hand on her back. "Easy. Slow movements."

"You okay?" Blake asked, concern in her voice.

Ruby smiled. "She's good enough to make jokes."

Touched that her teammates cared so much, Yang tried out a smile. "I'm good. Promise."

To prove her point, Yang experimentally swung her arms around. The shock stunned her. Her healthy muscles were beginning to function properly again.

Another deafening roar.

Now angry, Yang almost growled. "That thing's still not dead?!"

"No," Blake hissed.

Ruby spoke with sternness. "It's blind now. I got both eyes. Yang, are you up for Strawberry Sunrise?"

Knowing her sister, she didn't like to be down for long. It was time for payback.

Eager, Yang punched her fists together. "Duh."

Ruby softly smiled at her recovered sister. "Then what're we waiting for?"

With that, Yang grabbed the broom that rested next to her. Before she and her sister could take off, Weiss grabbed her arm. "Be careful."

"I will," after Yang pecked her cheek, the sisters soared to the gravely injured grimm. It couldn't even lean upright anymore.

Since the massive sea dragon didn't hear the silent broom, the sisterly attack was simple to execute.

"Now!" Yang yelled.

"You got it, sis!"

With that, Yang rolled off the broom while she was several feet high above the downed beast. Quickly, Ruby adjusted herself on the broom and leaned forward on it, attempting to steer.

As Yang soared, she cocked her fist back, her brass knuckles glimmering in the sunlight. When she landed on the bony mask, there was a dent from the impact alone. The bony plates of armor cracked and shattered.

While her sister wrestled with the head, Ruby positioned herself directly in front of the sea dragon's intimidating, black mouth. When Yang blasted and shattered the armor with excessive force, the jaws opened wide, revealing sharp fangs. That's when Ruby fired several bullets in rapid succession directly into the body.

In retaliation, the grimm spit more lightning. It was quicker than a lizard tongue sticking out. When one of the bullets collided with the yellow smog, there was a huge orange and yellow explosion. A black puff of smoke lingered.

"Agh!"

The impact was more than enough to force Ruby to release the broom and spiral dizzyingly to the water. She was falling way too fast for Weiss to form a glyph on time. The explosion only served to make her whizz down faster.

To keep the infuriated, injured beast distracted, Yang kept wailing on the head.

Worried for her girlfriend, Blake yelled. "Weiss!"

No more words were needed.

Like before, Weiss sent the faunus flying like a slingshot. She had to finish this grimm, or it'd go after her vulnerable girlfriend in the water.

In midair, Blake summoned a clone as she twisted around to the back of the neck. Just as she thought. No armor was protecting it. The black neck wasn't scaly. It was a weak spot.

Like a samurai, Blake and her clone severed the head. When it rolled off, the rest of the body seized and collapsed in the pond. Blake was left panting as Yang fell off the rolling head. This time, Weiss was able to catch her with a glyph. However, the blonde leaped off the platform as the grimm behind her dissipated.

"Ruby!"

Since Yang wanted to see if her sister was okay, the glyph wasn't needed. Yang dove into the murky water without hesitation to find her sister. It wasn't hard to spot the red cape that floated to the surface. A little ways away, Ruby was safely treading water as her sister joined her side.

"I'm okay, Yang," was the first thing Ruby said.

Still worried, Yang checked her over. "You sure?"

"Yeah," the sniper reassured with a wide grin. "Our sister combo was a lot of fun."

Yang couldn't help but laugh from that. "That was amazing, sis."

There was a pregnant pause as Ruby tried to glance behind her sister at the limp black mass floating in the water.

"Is it dead for real?" Ruby asked, wanting to make sure.

The giant corpse was withering into nothingness. Tiny specks of darkness broke off before vanishing into the sky. Since the corpse was large, it'd take a while for the sea dragon to completely disappear.

"We're in the clear," the brawler stated firmly. "Now we need to find the relic."

Confused, Ruby tilted her head. "You don't have it?"

"I never got to touch it," the blonde informed with a frown. "It's in the water somewhere."

Ruby sighed heavily. "It can never be easy."

"Nope."

* * *

 **This island is based off Angel Island from Sonic 3! Thanks to my group Legion205 for helping me with this arc.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	50. Go On With All Your Might

"That was… exhausting…"

Ruby laid on her back as her chest heaved. She clutched the relic in her grasp victoriously.

For a while, Yang had been laying on the grass. She leaned upright to get a look at her sister. "Didn't Oz say that if we remove it the island will drop?"

Ruby gazed down at the dull white shard. "I guess he meant that when it leaves altogether. We should be good for now."

Blake sighed lightly. "That's a relief."

"Imagine if it dropped right now," Yang said in amusement. "The princess would never be more eager to hop on Wanda."

That earned a few snickers.

"I mean…" Weiss said softly. "You're not wrong."

Team RWBY had been relaxing on the soft grass for several minutes. They were catching their breath since the surprise sea dragon did a number on their auras. After they composed themselves, they weren't going to waste time and then drift off the floating island.

The three-hour broom ride was going to be longer than when they headed here. They just wanted soft blankets and a cozy mattress to rest. At least the team should be back before the weekend. That way, they'd have a couple of days to rest.

They'd already eaten a few snacks to replenish their energy. Luckily, Ruby picked the right snacks. No food remained, but there were still plenty of bottles of water. Each member was decently full and hydrated as they gazed at the sky.

Thinking of a plan, Blake leaned up and reached out to Ruby."Here," since the faunus was in charge of the bags, she wanted to keep the relic in a secured, zipped pocket.

"Good idea, Blake," carefully, Ruby handed her girlfriend the prize. Blake was sure the zipper was shut before flopping on the ground.

"You know," Yang began in a bargaining tone. "Weiss is the only one who's not wet."

Blake sighed. "Phrasing."

"You know what I mean."

During the previous fight, the three members swam in the water.

"What can I say?" Weiss shrugged with a smirk. "I was lucky."

Somehow, Weiss managed to avoid the murky water. However, it was no longer eerie after the sea dragon was defeated. It shifted to azure, matching the shimmering sky. The grimm was a parasite and infested the pond.

"I think someone needs a hug," Yang opened her arms, but didn't approach her girlfriend. She stayed seated, but the action was enough to make Weiss recoil.

"Brute," the priestess said fondly.

"Surprise!"

From behind, Ruby went in for a sneak attack and wrapped her arms around the shorter girl's abdomen. This elicited a yelp from the sudden wetness all over her back.

"Ruby, you dolt!" Weiss yowled in irritation. "Let go of me!"

Seeing this as her chance, Yang literally dove into the pair with her arms wide. "Princess sandwich!"

Several shrieks ensued as the three plopped on the ground unceremoniously. They were a tangle of limbs on the soft grass as a few giggles rang out.

"You bunch of dolts!" Weiss yelled. "Blake, reprimand them!"

"Uh, uh, uhhh," Yang practically cooed. "I haven't gotten my daily dose of princess yet~"

A cat-ear clearly flicked, indicating that Blake heard her pleas. However, Blake was enjoying the amusing sight way too much. Weiss strived to escape the tight embrace, but her attempts were in vain.

Knowing that her friend heard, Weiss shouted. "Traitor!"

"Accept it, Weissy~" Ruby sang, keeping an iron grip.

Weiss tried to flop around like a fish, but the sisters were too strong.

"You're too cute," Yang beamed as she pecked her cheek. "There ya go. Now you're wet like the rest of us."

"Again," Blake interjected. "Phrasing."

"Shut up."

When the sisters felt like the teasing was enough, they let her go. Weiss sat up with a sharp scowl and crawled backward from the grinning sisters. Her clothes were moist and her skin was wet. Half her hair was damp and almost dripped water.

"This is the worst!"

The priestess was fuming as she tried to rub the wetness off her hands on the grass.

Ruby leaned into Yang's ear and whispered. "Is she gonna explode or not?"

Yang mumbled lowly. "I'm not sure…."

Suddenly, there was a deafening roar that vibrated the air itself.

"Woah!" Ruby cowered behind her sister in fear. "I didn't know Weiss could make a noise like that!"

"It wasn't me, you dunce!"

Since the howl came from above, the team looked to the sky. Their jaws were agape as they registered what the threat was. There was a group of black masses that loomed over them, circling the team like prey.

"Are those grimm?!" Ruby yelped.

Amber eyes widened in shock. "Flying types?"

Until now, the only flying grimm they'd encountered were tiny or overgrown nevermores. It never crossed her mind that there could be more types.

Yang hastily stood and took a defensive stance. This made her team follow. "Griffons," she breathed. "They're not common."

As the flock neared, the griffons had the head, wings, and talons of a large predatory bird. The rear legs, tail, and body were of a lion or tiger. The black feathers on the wings had bony spikes and a birdlike skull. The head was a bone-white beak and four red eyes, along with gray webbing on the sides of its beak.

"Woah!" Ruby gawked. "This is straight out of a supernatural movie!"

Blake nodded in agreement, staring at the spectacles. "Who has the relic?"

"I'll take it," Ruby volunteered. Weiss was about to protest, but Ruby spoke first. "I'm the fastest. If I need to, I'll hide it somewhere if it's what they're after."

Seeing as Ruby made a solid point, Weiss allowed her to take the red bag and hang it around her back.

"Alright then," Weiss agreed. "Do whatever you need to protect it."

"Gotcha."

There were several agonizing shrieks before the horde dove directly at them. The black masses rapidly become larger and more intimidating as they approached.

Hesitantly, Blake took a step back from the sheer sharp screeches. "Can we get on the broom and retreat?"

Weiss poised her rapier as more squawks bellowed. "They'd only follow us."

Cat ears leaned back as Blake poised her katana. "Good point."

Like a true sniper, Ruby took aim at those glowing red eyes. Each griffon had four red eyes, so those were only more targets. The more, the better. Before the horde could get too close, two griffons dropped like flies and crashed on the ground as bullets whizzed in the air.

"Good shots," Blake praised.

Ruby said nothing and continued to aim as the horde neared. However, the beasts got too close for comfort, and Yang wasn't going to let her sister stand there in the direct line of fire.

Before the other four beasts could advance, Yang pushed Ruby out of the way. "Move it, Rubes!"

Just before Ruby was shoved, another grimm dropped from a gunshot. The sisters were about to be swiped, but a glyph caused the remaining three griffons to ram into it at full force, shattering the sparkling sigil. This was more than enough for the griffons to stumble around in a daze.

"What's the weak spot?" Weiss asked.

"Not sure," Yang admitted. "Can't go wrong with the chest, though. Thanks for the save, by the way."

With that, Weiss stabbed one of the grimm directly where the heart should be. From the earlier crash, that was more than enough damage to make it dissipate. Since the beastly birds were down, the team finished the job quickly as multiple squawks and roars lingered.

Before they could collect themselves, there was a reverberating buzz to the right of them.

With adrenaline pumping the team looked over to target the new threat.

Several of the new-coming beasts adorned a three-segmented black body with three sets of legs. Like the other grimm, the flying insects had masks and armor along its back. On the back of its abdomen, the armor was in four overlapping plates. The deadly weapons were jagged pincers and a stinger.

"Lancers!?" Yang yelped. "Why're so many grimm coming now?!"

"We have the relic," Ruby reminded and calmly asked. "What're lancers?"

"Think of 'em as giant wasps."

"So they have stingers?" Blake asked to make sure.

"Yeah," Yang stated with a shiver down her spine. "Avoid those and chop off the wings. They're useless without them."

"Got it," Blake smirked. If she could cut through a sea dragon, she could slice those fragile-looking red transparent wings.

Like a samurai, Blake lined up her katana with the left side of the swarm. As she bolted directly at them, the buzzing that the pack emitted was incessant and annoying, cat ears flicking wildly.

Despite the huge distraction, Blake kept her focus. In one swoop, she managed to clip three of the lancer's right wings. Part of the swarm fell and collapsed uselessly on the ground, twitching in pain. The violent hums became muffled.

Unfortunately, she wasn't able to attack the rest since the grimm were flying so fast and ignored her.

Since Weiss was the only other one with a sharp weapon, she readied herself on a glyph and launched at the left side, taking note that Blake attacked the right side on purpose to compliment their dominant hands.

Her rapier wasn't meant to be used as a sword, but it still got the job done as she took out two more lancers. Their red wings fell helplessly on the ground as the overgrown wasps collapsed on their sides. A few rammed into trees and squished from impact. The leftover wings vibrated uselessly in a pitiful attempt to get up.

There was only one overgrown wasp left, but Ruby shot it multiple times before it could even reach her and Yang. It wiped out full speed on its side. No grimm were dissipating, just writhing on the ground like gross insects.

"Woah," was all Yang could say.

Ruby cocked her sniper rifle. "Good job, team."

There was another resounding lion-like roar. There was no time to celebrate. Another horde of griffons was soaring at break-neck speeds directly for them. The most disturbing detail was that this time, the lancers were mixed in the horde of griffons.

"They're working together!?" Yang yelled in disbelief. "This- this should be impossible! Other species don't communicate with the others!"

Her team took a step backward to assess the situation. Quickly, Weiss thought of a plan. It was risky but definitely worth a shot.

After Weiss squeezed her girlfriend's hand, she said sternly. "Give me the broom."

Stunned from the request, Yang said. "But you're-"

"Trust me."

Yang heavily sighed and handed her Wanda. "Surprise me."

Fondly, Weiss pecked her cheek and positioned herself on the front of the broom. When she was ready, she called over her shoulder. "Ruby, get on."

"O-okay!" Ruby rushed to hop on since the swarm was rapidly approaching. They didn't have time for chatter.

"Looks like you're not scared of Wanda anymore, huh?" Yang said with a smile.

A sly smirk crossed Weiss' lips. When the people she cared about were in danger, fear can crawl in a hole and die.

"Finish them off," Weiss said to Blake and Yang.

When she had trouble taking off, Ruby set her gun in her lap and gave the bristles a kick. That did the trick as they began to float. Weiss held Wanda steady at first, but they didn't have time. She had to act like driving a magical broom was normal.

"We got this!" Yang encouraged.

Blake and Yang watched white and red head directly at the horde. Since they were several feet away, the two darted after their friends. Yang trusted Weiss more than anyone, so she knew her little sister would be okay and that this was a job only she could do.

It was surprisingly easy to steer the magical broom. When fear was suppressed by adrenaline, Weiss felt like she could do anything to protect her friends.

No trees were in Weiss' way, so she had free rein. "Hold on!"

Tightly, Ruby curled into her as her beloved gun rested on her lap. The red bag slightly weighed her down. To tease the flying mix of griffons and lancers, Weiss made a loop upward just in front of them to grab their attention. Any straying grimm were met with merciless fists and a thirsty katana.

Like planned, the majority of the grimm followed the broom. The howling beasts chased the broom without thought as she shot straight upward. Ruby clung onto her for dear life at vigorous speeds. When Weiss deemed it appropriate, she looped around and dove at a daunting ninety-degree angle.

The winds were more violent than the hungry screeches directly behind them.

And as planned, the bellowing grimm followed. A few got too close for comfort, which compelled Ruby to shoot them. She used Weiss' back as support to aim upward. The recoil from her gun caused the broom to shake, but Weiss adjusted it quickly like she'd flown the broom a million times.

Behind them, multiple lancers and griffons dropped from the sky. Ruby's kill shots were a force to be reckoned with.

"Brace yourself!" Weiss warned.

Those were so few words, but enough for Ruby to understand. They must've been getting close to the ground. Quickly, Ruby set the burning hot gun on her lap and curled into Weiss.

Weiss violently yanked on Wanda, forcing her to obey. The red and white pair halted just before they could crash into the harsh ground and floated for a split second. Since the grimm were vastly approaching, Ruby kicked off the broom with her semblance to get them out of the way like she was a ship's propeller.

Multiple griffons and lancers careened into the grass at harsh speeds. It was satisfying to watch and to hear so many bones and armor break at once. The beasts that didn't wither away from the impact were handled by their teammates, who'd been waiting anxiously below.

Ruby and Weiss hovered over the ground as they watched their teammates.

"Nice plan, princess!" Yang said after she pummeled a lancer. "You handle Wanda like a natural."

Blake chimed in. "I was worried for a second. It looked like you were just going to ram into the ground."

Weiss gave her a tired smile. "Not when the dolt's with me."

"That was awesome!" Ruby declared. "Again!"

More shrieks and cries in the distance. Sure enough, there was another swarm. The black masses were unmistakable. More grimm.

"Looks like you'll get your wish, Rubes," Yang said, not happy about it. The maneuver looked risky, but worked. She trusted that her girlfriend could do it flawlessly again.

Without a word, Weiss steered the broom directly at the multiple grimm. Like last time, Blake and Yang followed, wiping the sweat off their faces.

After one horde was brought to its knees, another quickly appeared. It barely gave them any time to breathe. The swarms didn't stop coming. It was like this for several aching minutes.

It was a relentless cycle. The grimm followed the flying broom without thought, Ruby shot them from behind, Weiss lured them to their deaths, and whatever was leftover was handled by Yang and Blake on the ground.

It was utterly exhausting.

At one point, a lancer strayed from the group and almost impaled Blake with its deadly stinger. It was a good thing that Ruby constantly watched over her friends during the fray. A bullet to the stinger caused the beast to recoil, which gave Blake enough time to slice it in half.

After about half an hour, Blake and Yang were heaving. Even though Weiss and Ruby were riding on the magical broom, they were tired as well.

At last, there was a moment for a break. When no more grimm warped in the sky, Weiss deemed it safe to lower the broom. Her and Ruby touched down and stumbled a bit from being immobile for a while.

Yang was bent over her knees, her body feeling heavy. "How many… did we kill?"

"Too many," Ruby breathed. "I'm almost out of ammo."

To make sure, Ruby searched the red bag. This was her last round.

Ruby's arms were sore, so she set down her sniper rifle and plopped on the grass. The rest of her team joined her as pants filled the air.

There was a mountain of black mass still withering away. The corpses of grimm occasionally twitched before disappearing.

"That was…" Blake began. "A good plan, Weiss…"

"Stun 'em, then beat 'em," the brawler said softly. "Loved it."

Weiss smiled at her exhausted friends. "We did it-"

There was a sudden growl, and before Weiss even realized, something rammed forcefully into her back. It was like a boulder struck her as she tumbled to the ground. The yelp that ensued caused her teammates to spring into action.

Looming over her was a snarling beowolf. Its full weight pinned down the priestess.

"Get off'a her!" Yang was there in a heartbeat and wailed on the growling beast.

Before the grimm could do anything, it whimpered as Yang jabbed the back. It didn't take long for it to dissipate. When it was gone, Yang offered her hand. "You okay?"

Weiss accepted the hand and stood. "Just caught me off guard. Thank you."

"No prob."

"Uh, guys?" Ruby called, concern laced in her tone.

From her worried voice, the freezerburn pair glanced around. There was an army of beowolves surrounding the team. How they all approached without a sound was beyond comprehension.

"You've got to be kidding me," Yang snarled, gritting her teeth.

They didn't have the energy left to fight this many. Their auras had large dents. Ruby was about to suggest if they should hop on the broom and retreat, but the horde pounced before she could say anything.

Before a wolf could claw her precious sister, Yang rocketed a punch in its jaw. "Not today!"

This sent it flying backward into several other beowolves, causing them to drop like dominos. After the punch, Yang heaved like she wasn't getting enough air. Her legs and arms were beginning to feel like lead.

"Thanks, Yang," Ruby said worriedly. Watching her sister be out of breath was odd. Yang was always headstrong, so to see her like this was off-putting.

Swiftly, Ruby used her gun as a bat to swat away the next beast that lunged. Weiss and Blake were fairing decently, but it was clear that they were exhausted. A sheen layer of sweat coated their faces and their movements had slowed.

When Blake was suddenly knocked off her feet by a swipe, Ruby called her name and frantically rushed to her. The panic drew the beowolves to the ladybug couple. Hastily, Ruby fired several shots that forced the nearest grimm to fly backward.

To Yang, she was this team's tank. She was the one who was supposed to have the vicious grimm's attention on her. Purposefully, she was loud when wailing on multiple beowolves from behind, desperately trying to grab their attention. Anything to get them away from her beloved friends. However, Yang was losing speed and power in her punches. Her grunts of effort died away in her throat as she jabbed.

A lethal claw was about to swipe Ruby from behind. Something that Yang didn't miss.

To warn her, Yang shouted. "Ruby!"

A few feet away, Weiss impaled the next beowolf. Now that she had time to breathe, she focused on Ruby. Azure eyes widened. For a moment, it looked like everything was in slow motion.

Her team wouldn't be able to escape this. They were outnumbered and utterly exhausted.

 _I'm sorry, team._

There was only one option left, she was sure of it. It wasn't preferable, but there was no choice.

In determination, Weiss poised her rapier and gathered the remains of her aura into the center of her soul. The white light swirled and washed over her entire form as she closed her eyes to concentrate.

" _Emotions can grant you strength, but you must never let them overpower you,"_ Winter's words echoed in her mind as she took a deep breath to compose herself. _"Go on with all your might."_

She'd never purified this many grimm before, so she could only pray that things would work out.

It _will_ work out.

There was the call of her name. Sounded like Yang.

A chilly warmth spun like a calm whirlpool in her form. No matter what happened to her, she didn't care as long as her friends were safe. If she didn't do this, no one would survive.

It was now or never.

The burning sensation inside of Weiss burst and overflowed. The white light engulfed her form and the entire area. The snarls of the beowolves ebbed away, and her team's shouts went quiet. The light was so blinding that it consumed the entire island before flashing.

And then darkness.

* * *

 ***Owen Wilson voice* wow.**

 **The chapter title is from a song called White Light by Amalee. "'Go on with all your might,' but none can taint this white!"**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**

 **P.S. this chapter kicked my ass. Send help.**


	51. The Curse

**RTX was amazeballs. So glad I got to meet some of ya!**

* * *

One moment, dozens of hungry beowolves surrounded the team.

And the next, the masses of darkness vanished after a blinding white light consumed the entire floating island. The area flashed so blindingly that the team had to cover their eyes.

The next sound was a thud and the clink of metal on the grass. Yang forced herself to pry open her eyes to notice that her girlfriend had collapsed. With worry fueling her, Yang rushed to her side and coddled her in her arms.

"Weiss! Weiss!" Yang desperately called out. "Why'd you do that?! You know you shouldn't-"

Her cries died in her throat as she swallowed hard. When she felt how limp and helpless her girlfriend was, mild anger melted to pure worry and sadness. Weiss' face was coated in a layer of sweat and her expression was furrowed. Her eyes were closed, compelling Yang to stifle a whimper.

Yang wasn't stupid. She knew that if Weiss didn't use her purification powers, they would've died. Her precious team would have...

Concerned, Yang tucked her protectively into her chest. "Dummy..."

It didn't take long for the ladybug pair to join them. They were equally drained as they examined the downed priestess.

"Weiss…" Ruby whimpered in worry. "You saved our butts."

Cat ears leaned on the back of Blake's head. "She really did. Hey, is she be okay? She looks kind of red."

Alarmed, Yang placed the back of her hand on her moist forehead. The priestess was sweltering and beads of sweat clung to her face. A shock of worry pierced through Yang when she realized how fragile her girlfriend was at the moment. She'd never seen a fever take hold of someone so quickly.

"She's burnin' up," the blonde diagnosed with panic in her tone. "T-this has never happened before. She's never gotten a fever from using her priestess powers!"

"Let's calm down," Blake advised and offered a theory. "Maybe it's because her aura was depleted so quickly," Yang was about to retort, but the faunus cut her off. "We can figure it out later. We really need to get out of here and get medicine for her. I don't think we packed any."

"We didn't," Ruby sadly confirmed. They packed just about everything else but the one thing they needed. "Blake's right. Let's go before more grimm show up."

The three were exhausted and wanted nothing more than to rest, but now there were more pressing issues. Weiss' face was furrowed like she was experiencing physical pain. Her chest began to rise and fall frantically, her breathing labored. Hastily, Yang stood. The sooner they got off this island, the sooner they could help her girlfriend.

Another prickle of worry shot through Yang. This was going to be an agonizing ride. She could already tell that she wouldn't be able to focus properly when her girlfriend was like this. Weiss was like a heating pad. Didn't weigh much and hot to the touch.

Knowing the drill, Blake slung the red and yellow bags around her back, sighing with fatigue. To make sure the relic was in the same pocket, she checked. When she noted it was still safe, they were clear to leave.

Yang picked up Wanda, unable to shake her concern. The priestess was redder than Ruby's hoodie.

"Hey, Yang?" Ruby called. "I'll hold her for the ride. You need to focus on steering."

"Yeah, okay," the blonde replied absentmindedly. There was almost no emotion in her tone besides a certain hollowness. She probably wouldn't be able to pay attention either way. At least Wanda had an autopilot mode.

"Hey," Blake placed a hand on the taller girl's shoulder, noticing her brows were knit together in concern. "She'll be okay. I'm sure Ozpin and Goodwitch have something for her."

The thought perked Yang up a little. "Yeah, thanks."

Yang acknowledged that her sister was trying to cheer her up. Even if that was hard. Carefully, Yang coaxed her girlfriend to Ruby's capable arms that'd been waiting.

"Woah..." Ruby breathed in unease. She could feel Weiss' heart thundering against her ribcage. It was fervently burning. The red-hooded girl's immense worry grew, but she tried to compose herself for her big sister. "Blake, you ready?"

"Yeah."

With that, Yang hopped on the front of Wanda. Behind her, Ruby was careful in positioning herself. She was sure to coddle Weiss' head against her shoulder as she scooted closer to Yang. When Yang felt the heat on her back, she could tell that was Weiss and frowned. When Ruby clung tightly to Yang, Blake adjusted herself and wrapped her arms around Ruby's stomach, making sure to have some leverage on Weiss as well.

"Hold tight," Yang advised as she glanced over her shoulder.

Ruby didn't need to be told that, but she replied to ease her sister's nerves. "Gotcha."

"Blake," the blonde stated.

Like the faunus knew what Yang wanted, she lightly kicked the broom. "Liftoff."

As Wanda began to float, the team tightened their grips. When Yang felt Ruby's grip, she fought the urge to turn around and keep Weiss steady. Instead, she trusted Ruby and slowly moved the broom forward.

Wanda gradually ascended the cliffs that surrounded the island's perimeter. The moment the team drifted over the edge of the cliffs, the entire island shook.

The mass in the sky began to descend into the frantic waters below.

* * *

Even after the three-hour broom ride, Weiss' condition was the same. If not worse.

By the time the team landed, they were even more drained. It was a late Friday night and pitch-black outside. It was a miracle they even made it back. Wanda's autopilot mode definitely spared some stress.

Despite the team's exhaustion, they rushed inside the temple to help the unconscious priestess. Fortunately, Goodwitch and Ozpin were there, having expected their arrival.

As Yang hurried to the guest room, Ruby explained the situation to the professors.

"She purified way too many grimm," Ruby said calmly. "She's been unconscious for the last three hours and is on fire. I'm mostly worried about her heart."

From the revelation, Glynda went off to retrieve some medicine and other things they'd need.

"Her heart?" Ozpin repeated, intrigued.

Ruby nodded. "It's been going crazy even after she's rested for so long," she tapped his shoulder, causing him to lean down. Ruby whispered so Yang couldn't hear. "I don't know much longer her body can handle it... "

"Rest assured," Ozpin smiled down at her. "We'll figure this out."

The team and professors arrived in the guest room. Yang gently placed her girlfriend on the single bed and was careful when setting her head on the fluffy pillow. Fondly, Yang pecked her overheated cheek.

"Allow me," Ozpin said sternly like a father protecting his child. Yang willingly stepped back, trusting him to help her ailing girlfriend. He gently placed the thermometer in his student's mouth. After the beep, the number was abnormally high. High enough to cause panic. "102 degrees."

Blake grimaced as she stared down at the red-faced girl. "That's _really_ high."

After the diagnosis, Yang held her burning hand. It felt so odd that the hand wasn't frosty like she was used to. Her body heat almost caused Yang to recoil. Yang was a portable heater, but right now, Weiss easily provided competition in that aspect.

Yang didn't know what to do as she helplessly watched the unconscious girl's breathing become ragged. Her chest heaved as Yang squeezed her hand.

Glynda swooped in the room with various items. One included an IV drip.

"Woah," Ruby breathed. The temple had more medical equipment than she thought.

Like a nurse, Glynda hooked Weiss up with the bag full of water. Like she'd done this a million times, Goodwitch carefully slid the needle in the girl's right forearm since she was aware that her student was a lefty. After, she tightly wrapped her arm with tape to make the wire stay. Hopefully, hydrating her would lower her temperature.

"Give this to her," the professor held out her hand that had two white pills.

Yang nabbed the medicine. Obviously, Weiss couldn't swallow the medicine since she was unconscious, so Yang was going to take a swig of water and transfer it that way. However, there was a feeble groan. From the tiny noise, the team leaned in around the bed.

"Weiss, Weiss?" Yang called out softly. "I'm here. We're here. Wake up, please?"

Hazy blue eyes opened slowly.

"Yang…"

"That's right, I'm right here," Yang said, relief in her voice. "I need you to take these."

Weiss was simply too tired to question anything. What was happening. Where she was. Why Yang looked so worried. What she was holding. She was utterly exhausted.

Even in her state, she managed to reassure Yang that she was alright and gave her a faint smile before her eyelids grew heavy. Yang could only stare at her with worry, helplessness creeping in her body. It was heartbreaking to see her force a smile like that when she was the opposite of fine.

It only took Weiss' body a few seconds to shut down.

Tears almost overflowed as Yang watched, clutching the pills.

"Weiss?!" Ruby frantically called.

Blake was silent, trying to swallow the lump in her throat.

To get some medicine in her, Glynda used a needle and squeezed the substance into the IV bag.

Being protective, Yang asked. "What's that?"

"Medicine," Goodwitch replied softly to ease her nerves. "Since she can't swallow the pills, we'll give it to her through her veins."

Yang seemed to accept that after processing her words.

Amber eyes scanned the priestess' form. For a split second, Blake thought that the bangle around Weiss' wrist flickered black. It was only for a millisecond, but her keen eyes caught it. The world told her that she wasn't imagining things.

"The bracelet," the faunus pointed.

Confused, Ruby eyed the dull white bracelet. "What about it?"

"It was black," the faunus said with certainty. "It was only for a second, but I saw it!"

After she declared that, Weiss whimpered feebly. Her chest was rising and falling rapidly and her heart was throbbing against her ribcage.

The pitiful sound caused Yang to yell desperately. "Oz!"

"Let me have a look."

Yang willingly obliged and gave him some space. The team and Goodwitch watched him carefully.

Taking charge, Ozpin trailed his fingers along her neck. He could feel her frantic pulse, and also felt the thin silver chain. When he felt the chain, he lightly yanked on it to pull out the locket. The silver locket was emitting darkness. The worrying sight caused a few gasps.

"W-what's that mean?" Ruby asked. "That can't be good."

All the anxiety in the world forcefully pushed itself into the room. From the sight of the darkness, Ozpin reached out to Blake.

"Give me the relic."

Obeying, Blake handed him the newly-captured shard. Carefully, Ozpin pressed the relic against the locket. This caused a white flash as the relic vanished.

Cat ears perked up alert. "Where'd it go?"

"It's fused in the locket," Ozpin informed.

All three pieces had been combined to create a larger shard inside the protective locket. When that was done, he hovered his hand over the burning girl's form. A green light emitted from his palm and the green smog was absorbed in her chest, which caused her to gasp thinly.

"Hey!" Yang shouted in anger, which caused Blake and Ruby to hold her back. From the looks of it, Yang was about to lunge at the headmaster. The room was starting to heat up. "What're you doing to her!?"

"Yang, stop!" Ruby yelled as she had an iron grip around her arm.

"He's trying to help!" Blake reminded as she tightened her hold on the other arm.

"Yang," Goodwitch called sternly. "Behave yourself. Your emotions will make her feel worse."

Knowing they were right, Yang took a deep breath. The temperature in the room dropped. The heat would only serve to make Weiss' condition worse. She just hated seeing her beloved like this. This feeling of helplessness was something she was horribly familiar with.

Now that Ozpin could focus, his eyes widened when he felt Weiss' aura swirl with his. The shadow of white almost consumed his own green. The angel's aura was tainted in darkness. Reluctantly, he pulled away, done with the process of confirming his thoughts.

"Well?" Yang asked, expectant.

"She's cursed."

From the information, the ladybug couple blinked.

"Cursed?" Yang breathed, the weight of the world crushed her shoulders.

"Yes, cursed," Ozpin confirmed. "She must've been feeling the effects of it until now. It must have happened when she made contact with Cinder several months ago. Only a demon could inflict this kind of curse. Exhausting her purification abilities caused the curse to strengthen, leaving her like this."

The memory of that day came rushing back to Yang. That black orb that'd struck Weiss before must've initiated the curse. Before, Weiss had struck the demon, but Cinder retaliated. The vivid scene in the cave played over and over again in her head. The black orb sank into Weiss' chest. However, Weiss said that there was no pain from the impact. She seemed perfectly fine after that, so Yang brushed off the incident.

"But that's-" Yang's words died in her throat as she pondered more.

Just before the king taijitu attacked, Weiss was frozen in place. She could only clutch her heart. There was that one coffee parlor episode. Weiss suddenly dipped her head and covered her mouth.

Yang's eyes widened. The hints were all there, but she dismissed them.

Blake grit her teeth. "Why're we just now finding this out?"

"This curse gathers strength overtime and takes awhile to take effect," Ozpin explained.

The faunus' nostrils flared. She was angry at herself. That one time she snuck into her house, the clues were there. Weiss had fallen onto her precious butler and insisted she was alright. Blake forgot all about the brief episode after she watched Jacques slap her.

With her mouth agape, Ruby wondered if she witnessed the effects. Sure enough, she recalled the time when Yang and Blake were exterminating those little nevermores. Her and Weiss were on the ground watching. Then suddenly, Weiss bent over in pain, but played it off like her stomach was simply upset.

Ruby sounded heartbroken. "Why didn't she tell us?"

Yang squeezed her girlfriend's overheated hand.

"She had to have a good reason. She always does."

* * *

 **There are lyrics mentioned from the song White Light: "My heart is soaring, fervently burning."**

 **Ahaha so it was the curse that caused those random episodes! The hope was to make you forget that Cinder had struck her. A small but important detail.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	52. Taint this White

**Hey I'm baaaack from Africa! Back to the regular posting schedule!**

* * *

"She's cursed."

Silence lingered in the air from Ozpin's explanation.

That didn't sound good.

Ruby, Blake, and Yang pondered the diagnosis. Whatever was ailing the priestess wasn't something from the normal world. It was from the new, supernatural world. A world where the half-demon resided.

During the last couple of months, the hints were all there. They were there, but not ignored. More like swept under the rug and forgotten. Weiss gave no strong indication that something was wrong. She'd always been a master at the poker face.

Determined, Yang asked Ozpin. "How can we fix it? You _can_ fix it, right?"

Undoubtedly, Yang was willing to do whatever she can to cure her ill girlfriend. Watching her lay limply on the bed and gasp for a measly ounce of oxygen was heart-wrenching.

 _Weiss…_ Yang thought as she held her hand. _Hang in there. We'll get you better._

Ozpin held his chin in thought, his eyes fixed on the feverish priestess. "That depends on your definition of 'fixed,' Yang."

Perturbed, Ruby questioned. "What do you mean?"

There was a pregnant pause. It was like the professors were reluctant to elaborate.

In a plea, Yang faced Goodwitch. "Glyn?"

Glynda heavily sighed and pushed up her glasses. "You can't cure a curse," she said sternly and bluntly. The revelation caused multiple gasps to ring out. Before anyone could question her, she continued. "However, you can suppress it."

"What?" Yang asked angrily. "Is she gonna stay like this?"

"No, she'll be okay," Ozpin replied softly. "I can suppress the curse. However, to completely rid the curse, the caster has to be killed."

Before, Yang had cried from the helplessness of watching her girlfriend struggle. It was a feeling she was too familiar with. One that ate her. From Ozpin's previous statement, another emotion was added to the mix and stirred with the others. Yang's eyes that almost overflowed with tears briefly flashed red as she let this feeling wash over her.

 _A new target. It isn't a grimm this time._

Any fury the team held toward Cinder vanished as a whimper filled the air. It was soft and feeble, and Weiss returned to frantic pants after. Her chest was rising and falling rapidly and her heart was pounding vigorously against her ribcage.

Ozpin worriedly gazed down at her. "The curse is more powerful than ever now that she's exhausted her purification abilities."

The remaining illness was a side effect of the curse. It caused the agony to increase tenfold.

Blake's cat ears leaned on her head as she bit her lip from the sad sight. "Her heart," she said softly and looked to the headmaster for guidance. "Can you help her heart?"

That was the most pressing concern. If Weiss' heart gave out, it'd be over. It was beating so frantically like it would jump out of her chest any moment.

It was obvious that Ozpin was hesitant with his answer. He glanced at Glynda for reassurance. When he received a nod of approval, he spoke. "Yes, I can help her heart," that earned several sighs of relief. "To do so, I'd have to drain her aura and place a seal, which would be, to put bluntly, painful for her."

The revelation caused Yang to stiffen. Not just her, the ladybug couple as well.

Ruby didn't like the thought of Weiss being in more pain, but if this would help her feel better, it was worth a shot. "It'd help her in the long run, right?"

"Yes," Ozpin replied and gazed at Yang, who looked troubled.

"Just do it," the blonde said softly. She didn't sound happy about it. She'd seen enough already, but this was her girlfriend's life that was at risk. This was the first step to make her better. Fondly, Yang wiped damp white bangs away from her girlfriend's sweltering forehead. "As long as it'll help her."

Ozpin nodded to reassure her. "Alright then."

Things would be much easier with Yang's permission. Hopefully, she wouldn't try to pounce on the headmaster like last time now that she had a heads up. To prepare herself, Yang held one of her girlfriend's hands with both palms. The ladybug pair never left her side and gazed down at their panting teammate. Glynda was behind the three, able to watch the process with the help of her heels.

Purposefully, Ozpin hovered his hands over Weiss' frantic heart. A green light emitted from his palm and the friendly green smog was absorbed in her chest within seconds, which caused her to gasp. The pained sound made Yang tighten her grip on her burning hand.

To comfort Yang, Ruby and Blake set their hands on her shoulders as they kept their eyes firmly on the priestess. Glynda kept a reassuring hand on the blonde's back.

Like before, Weiss' darkened aura swirled with Ozpin's green. The shadow of white almost consumed his aura entirely. Suppressing this curse was harder than he originally thought. For it to be this strong would've taken months of build-up. The priestess must've experienced random bouts of pain for a long time now. The thought compelled the headmaster to push onward. He was going to help one of his precious students.

As he worked his magic, the feverish girl jolted. Weiss began to cough pitiful bouts so violently that the bed shook. This caused Ozpin to have a hard time focusing and his green aura flickered. This allowed the tainted aura to engulf his own in the slight opening. Ozpin grunted in response, not giving up and continuing to try to overpower her own.

Not needing to be told what to do, Yang gently held down her shoulders.

"Weiss, you can't move much, sweetie- _please_ you can't," Yang said softly, her voice wavered. "You'll hurt yourself more…"

Luckily, Yang holding her down wasn't needed for long. The coughing fit had stopped after several agonizing seconds and she went still on the mattress, her chest still heaving.

"Weiss?!" Ruby's voice raised in alarm.

Not able to watch for a second longer, Yang yelped. "Ozpin!"

The desperate shout compelled him to work faster. Successfully, Ozpin dragged the remaining aura out of her body. He forcefully snatched it away, leaving her more vulnerable than ever. There was a feeble gasp that tore from her lungs, and her head lolled to the side.

By now, rivulets were rolling down Yang's cheeks and onto the blankets. She squeezed Weiss' torrid hand tighter and sniffled from the sight. Blake and Ruby frowned, their gazes never leaving the red-faced girl.

Now that she was completely drained, Ozpin began the process of suppressing the curse. A light green circle that resembled a clock formed above her stationary chest.

"Woah…" Ruby breathed in awe.

The circle was so intricate. It was a clock with roman numerals and had two hands. The long hand ticked a couple of times as Ozpin took a deep breath. After the headmaster pushed the seal into Weiss' body, there was a harrowed groan.

The team and professors watched the bangle around her wrist flicker black and white for several seconds. The colors switched repeatedly for an eternity. The darkness and pureness were fiercely battling for dominance. At last, white overpowered black, forcing it to ebb away.

The result was relieving. The bracelet shined a dull white.

The priestess was red and covered in sweat, but at least her breaths were less desperate. Her breathing was in a deep rhythm like she was sleeping peacefully.

"The curse is sealed..." Ozpin informed somewhat breathlessly. That took more out of him than he cared to admit. "She's safe from it for now."

"Thank god..." Yang's voice broke as she leaned over her girlfriend, muffling a sob. "Thank you."

"There's no need for thanks, Yang," Ozpin whispered softly.

Seeing as his job was done for now, Ozpin sat in a chair that was close to the bed. He didn't show it, but he was drained from the process.

Now that that was over, the team was starting to feel the effects of the day. It was midnight.

Today, they went to school. Directly after, they headed to the floating island and battled a sea dragon, waves upon waves of other grimm, retrieved the relic, flew all the way back with no time to rest in order to help their ailing teammate. To say it was a tiring day was an understatement.

In relief, Yang gently cupped her girlfriend's cheek. The curse may have been suppressed, but she still had a high fever. It was true that Weiss looked at peace, but sweat clung to her skin and her face was just as red as before.

"Glyn," Yang called with worry.

Goodwitch already noticed the concerning sign and had grabbed the thermometer that rested on the nightstand. The team leaned in with anticipation as they waited for the beep. Goodwitch pulled away to stare at the number, which caused a spike in her adrenaline.

They couldn't stay here.

"Oz," was all she could say, which caused his eyes to widen in foreboding.

"What?" Blake asked, sounding frightened. "What's the number?"

Goodwitch gulped and displayed the number for the team to see. "104."

Ruby's jaw dropped. "That's higher than before! The medicine isn't working!?"

Now that Weiss had zero aura protecting her, she was left vulnerable. The fever could only grow stronger and ravage her body. The situation was direr. A temperature that high meant her life was in danger.

"She needs the emergency room," Glynda stated sternly. "They have advanced medicines there. A fever this high is dangerous."

Instantly, Ozpin hopped out of his seat and headed for the exit. "I'll get the car."

Ruby nodded. "We'll get her ready."

In a rush, Ruby and Blake wrapped Weiss in a blanket burrito. Grateful that her sisters handled that, Yang lifted her and darted out of the room, her teammates and professor following close behind.

 _Please be okay._

* * *

The room was relatively quiet besides the ticking of the clock.

With a smirk, the half-demon in a burning red dress clutched the shard in her grasp. It was tainted black and was consumed by darkness. The relic glowed black and tensed the atmosphere. A feeling Cinder was used to.

Mercury and Emerald watched Cinder with interest. That sadistic grin meant only one thing.

The curse was working.

"Suffer, you wretched priestess. Suffer before your pitiful demise."

Emerald crossed her arms and seethed through grit teeth. "Death isn't good enough for what she did to you."

Mercury nodded as he sat on the floor. "No one so much as touches you and gets away with it."

The words of encouragement did nothing to quell the mild fear within Cinder. Deep down, the powerful half-demon was afraid to go near the priestess. A curse from afar would have to do.

For now.

* * *

The moment the team recited Weiss' temperature to a nurse, she called for more help.

The nurse coaxed Yang to follow her, leading them to a room that was prepared. Not many visitors came to the emergency room this late, so there were plenty of rooms available.

The team and professors trailed into the room. The nurse showed Yang which bed to lay Weiss on. After the blonde did so, multiple staff members swarmed the priestess and removed the blankets around her.

Various whispers filled the small hospital room. A nurse concisely connected a needle into Weiss' left forearm and twisted the IV drip, allowing the chilly water to flow into her body. More staff members surrounded her as they prodded her burning form.

One nurse approached the group.

"How long has she been like this?"

Ozpin answered for them. "A few hours, miss."

From the information, the nurse wrote the information on the clipboard. She nodded in affirmation and asked him a few more questions before setting the pen aside.

"Only family members are allowed in here. At least until we stabilize her."

She began to coax the group out the door, but Yang stood her ground. "Hold up. We are her family."

The nurse looked taken aback by that. The group was an interesting mix of people and didn't look anything alike. "Can you prove it?"

"Well, no…"

"I'm sorry," the nurse said softly, taking note of Yang's pleading expression. "We can't have you in here. It's too crowded. You can come in when we're done treating her."

Yang almost retorted, but Ruby interjected. "We'll leave."

"Sorry for the trouble," Blake apologized.

"But Weiss-"

Before Yang could say anymore, she was dragged out of the room by the ladybug couple.

"Hey- stop!"

There was no way the blonde was going to leave her girlfriend alone. She needed her right now! Yang broke out of their iron grips and rushed the closed door. She was about to pry it open, but Ruby forcefully yanked on her arm to snap her out of it.

"Yang!" Ruby shouted sternly. It was rare when she used her authoritative voice. "They're professionals. They know what they're doing. We can't get in the way."

"They're not professionals in handling curses," the blonde replied evenly. Since her sister used that firm voice, she was almost afraid to yell back.

Ruby gazed at Ozpin knowingly. The two professors had taken seats on the couches in the vacant hallway. It was past midnight, and the effects of the day had taken a toll.

"Oz said he handled the curse," Ruby reminded. "The sickness is up to the doctors."

Knowing her sister was right, Yang grit her teeth as she stared at the closed door.

This was personal. It had been from the start. Ever since Yang found out that the demon had killed Weiss' angelic mother, this was personal. Now, Cinder had _dared_ hurt her girlfriend? Put her life in danger _again_?

Yang debated which path she should take. One sign was wooden and dull. The other was neon and screamed at her. The brawler shook her head and clenched her fists.

An overwhelming feeling of loathing surged over her. Yang looked like she was about to ignite in flames, but she remained scarily composed. The flames burned within in soul as her eyes flashed red.

She won't hesitate.

"I'm gonna _fucking_ kill Cinder."

* * *

 **Ohhhhh Yang is pissed!**

 **The chapter title refers to White Light: "go on with all your might, but none can 'taint this white.' It'll stay forever pure. I wanna be the white, white light!"**

 **I beg to differ, song lyrics. It's been fun playing with them~**

 **I'm a Believer lyrics were mentioned near the end to describe Yang's newfound loathing: "Anyone know what path I should take? I won't hesitate!"**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	53. I Love You

Late Friday night, the team brought the feverish priestess to the hospital.

The professors and teammates stayed overnight to watch over Weiss. Since she was in critical condition then, no one was keen on leaving in case she took a turn for the worse.

Fortunately, the doctors managed to stabilize her dangerously high fever after a day. It took more work than they expected, but thanks to their efforts, Weiss was on the way to recovery.

Currently, it was Sunday night. Overall, Weiss' temperature had dropped three degrees. Since 101 degrees was still considered a high fever, the staff kept her on medicines and on the IV drip.

By now, the professors went home. Glynda had to prepare her lesson for tomorrow, and Ozpin had headmaster duties. Being gone from work over the weekend meant playing catch up.

Until now, Yang had been sitting on a chair next to her girlfriend, who was lying on the bed. The blonde tried not to leave the room. She only did when she had to. Each time she left and returned, she gave Weiss a soft kiss on the lips.

Yang hadn't even been back home yet.

Ruby and Blake switched off to go home. To retrieve decent food or fresh pairs of clothes. They offered an excuse to Taiyang. He was in the dark about the entire thing. He'd undoubtedly visit his honorary fourth daughter if he knew she was in the hospital.

The ladybug couple trailed into the white room with various foods hidden under their clothes. The two emptied the foods on a nearby table. The items included Yang's favorite foods like potato chips, fresh grapes, animal crackers, bananas, and even bologna sandwiches.

Blake was considerate enough to bring one of Weiss' favorite snacks for when she wakes up. Any kind of dried fruit she seemed to like, but Blake took note that dried mangos were her favorite. In the past, they'd been her go-to snack.

Noticing the dried fruit, Yang smiled. "Thanks, Blake. I'm sure she'll appreciate it."

Blake gazed down at the girl who adorned a loose white robe. Her white tresses pooled around her on the fluffy pillow. Her red face stood out on all this white. The IV wire was still in her left forearm, giving her nutrients and hydration. There was slight bruising from the needle that was previously in her right forearm from Goodwitch.

"She'll definitely be hungry when she wakes up," Blake reasoned. "We're not giving her hospital food. That's gross."

For the first time in a while, Yang chuckled. "True that."

Together, the ladybug pair pulled up chairs and sat next to Yang.

"I have good news," Ruby chirped happily. "Ozpin said she's excused from all classes until she recovers. Oh, and you are too, Yang. He figured you wouldn't wanna leave her. That's pretty sweet of him if you ask me."

Touched, Yang smiled as she held Weiss' toasty hand. "Yeah, that's really nice of him. When you see him next tell him we said thanks."

Ruby gave her a thumbs up. "You got it."

Sometimes, Yang forgot that Ozpin was the headmaster. That definitely had some perks.

There was a pregnant pause as Blake's cat ears flicked. Amber pools fixed on the priestess, whose breathing was steady.

"Has she woken up at all?"

Yang shook her head. "No. The doc says that it'd be better if she slept through it."

"I see..." Blake murmured in realization. She should've figured. It'd suck to be awake and feel like crap from a high fever. "Makes sense."

"Um, Yang?" Ruby reluctantly called.

The concern laced in her tone caused Yang to perk up. "Yeah, Rubes?"

Ruby anxiously pressed her fingers together. "Get some sleep tonight. You have dark circles under your eyes."

Yang blinked as she registered her sister's words. To ease her nerves, she waved her off with a joke. "What're you talkin' about? It's my makeup.'

Not amused from the excuse, Blake said bluntly. "It's a crap job, then."

That earned another light chuckle.

"Alright, alright, I'll try," Yang stated and pointed an accusing finger at the red-hooded girl. "But I'm not going home."

That earned a frustrated groan.

Yang crossed her arms with finality. "I'm going to be here when she wakes up no matter what."

Blake frowned slightly. "That could be a while. Didn't you say the medicine was making her sleep?"

"Hm," Yang scoffed like an annoyed child. "I don't care. Since her temp's goin' down it shouldn't be long now."

Deep down, the ladybug couple knew there was no point in arguing with her. That's the sole reason why Yang hadn't left the hospital even once for the last couple of days. Her blonde mane was more frazzled than usual and her eyes screamed fatigue.

"Fine," Ruby conceded reluctantly. "But like I said, try to sleep. I know it's not easy but Weiss wouldn't want to see you like this."

That wasn't something Yang hadn't thought about. She couldn't sleep because she was constantly worried. The previous days had played over and over in her head. The sight of her girlfriend suffering so much affected her greatly.

If Yang felt like this, she couldn't imagine how her girlfriend felt.

"Yeah, okay," Yang said softly. "You're right, Rubes. I'll try to get some sleep."

At least Yang would try. That was something. Lovingly, Ruby hugged Yang's side. It didn't take long for Blake to join. When they hugged, Yang fondly wrapped her arms around them with a sad smile. The three stayed like that for a few heartwarming moments before separating.

Blake tried to appear stoic, but some sadness snuck into her tone. "We'll be back right after school tomorrow, okay?"

"Kay," the blonde replied.

As the ladybug pair took their leave, Ruby called over her shoulder.

"Make sure to check the locket every now and then."

Yang didn't need to be told that. Occasionally, she'd glance at the white bangle around that petite wrist. The locket was in her view at all times. She was on guard in case the darkness returned.

Before, the nurses tried to remove the jewelry and set it aside and Yang let them, not wanting to disturb them while they worked. When the freezerburn pair was finally alone, she put them back on her. It's not like the jewelry was restricting.

Before the door shut, Yang said. "Have fun at school."

That caused Ruby to smirk. "You sound like Dad."

"I know."

The door shut and the couple left to go home. Yang let out a yawn. It was getting late.

It was silent besides the beeping of the machine. Weiss had a wire connected to her forearm for hydration and medicine while the other tracked her heart beat. It'd been steady since Ozpin sealed the curse.

 _I'm gonna take you on a date when you get outta here,_ Yang thought with a smile. _I wonder what we should do. Maybe something with animals since you love them so much._

The blonde lightly chuckled when she imagined Weiss cooing like a child at Zwei.

 _Maybe I'll just give you Zwei for an hour. You'd be on cloud nine._

A loud rumble.

She frowned from the noise. She hadn't eaten in a while. The food tasted different. It wasn't right. It wasn't good like normal. Even her favorite chips lost flavor. Reluctantly, Yang grabbed a few grapes and popped them in her mouth. The normally fresh purple orbs just slid down her throat and soothed her stomach. Nothing more.

Yang felt guilty when her eyes met Weiss' quiet form. She hadn't eaten in a while.

After Yang swallowed a few cold grapes, she turned off the blinding lights.

There was the faint beep of the machine that measured Weiss' heartbeat. Thankfully, it was a steady rhythm. Yang watched the faint rising and falling of her girlfriend's chest, matching it with the tune of the machine.

 _Wake up soon, princess. Wake up so I can tell you._

Carefully, Yang listened to her heartbeat. It reassured her that Weiss was okay. Just resting. Yang would've rested her head on her chest or stomach, but she wanted to give her girlfriend room to breathe. It was already so faint.

Fondly, the blonde pressed their lips together for a goodnight kiss. She didn't linger for long. After that, she held Weiss' warm hand, careful not to disturb the wire in her forearm. She leaned over the bed and rested her head on top of her own arms.

The gentle moonlight trickled through the windows, casting a ray on the couple. Eventually, the faint beep of the machine coaxed her to slumber.

She didn't know how long she drifted off for.

When Yang roused, there was something brushing her hair. The touch was gentle and feather-like. Almost silky.

Only one person in the world had ever touched her like this. Slowly, Yang leaned up. Her thoughts were confirmed when lilac met azure. Overwhelming relief washed over Yang in waves. It was so nice to see those pools of blue. Until now, it'd been a constant white.

The blue was less cloudy than before, but still contained the haze of exhaustion.

"Yang..." the priestess said softly as her arm laid by her side.

Yang gave her a wide smile. It was so wide that her cheeks hurt. Tiny rivulets almost rolled down her cheeks as she stifled a sniffle. "Hey, Weiss," she greeted softly, which earned a tiny smile. "Do you need anything?"

"I'm okay. Just tired."

The joking part of Yang didn't believe her as she gently cupped a red cheek. "Tired?" she tried a weak laugh. "After you've slept for two days?"

Judging by the robe, Weiss guessed she'd been in the hospital for at least a day. She only knew she was in the hospital because of the machine's beeping and wires in her arm. This room was different from the temple's guest room and the school's infirmary.

The last thing she remembered was the tons of beowolves. There was the feeling of burning, and then nothingness. She didn't dwell on that for long as she subconsciously licked her lips. They were chapped, but there was a distinct lingering taste of lemonade.

Yang noticed the tiny smile that ensued. "Sorry."

The light huff she received told Yang there was nothing to apologize for. Weakly, Weiss reached for her hand. Yang happily grasped it as their fingers interlocked.

"Weiss…" Yang murmured softly. "You scared me to death."

"I'm sorry."

Yang gingerly rubbed her thumb on her overheated hand. "You don't have to apologize."

Content, Weiss closed her eyes. Her eyelids were growing heavy. Yang noticed this and gently pecked her on the lips for another goodnight kiss. The pair of lips were lemonade, and Weiss returned the sweet contact.

This kiss was more soft and firm. Hesitantly, Yang leaned back and caressed her red cheek.

"Yang…"

The call of her name brought a smile to Yang's lips.

"I… I…

In her head, Yang had said it a million times. She thought about it all the time. About how this moment would go. She took a deep breath, her lilac eyes sparkled in the moonlight.

"I love you," Yang said firmly to show there was no doubt. "I really do. With all my heart."

When she was met with calm silence, Yang continued.

"I-I didn't know if this was the right time or not," she finished with a sheepish smile.

The moonlight illuminated the room and beamed on the pair. Like it was trying to make the atmosphere more magical. Tenderly, Weiss lifted her hand to caress Yang's cheek. The blonde leaned into the warm contact and held the gentle hand there.

"Goodness," Weiss said softly. "I'm confined to a hospital bed, burning up, and look horrible."

Before Yang could retort that, Weiss continued.

"But this couldn't be more perfect. I love you too, Yang."

This.

 _This._

 _This_ made all the heartache worth it.

Their hearts fluttered from those simple, yet heavy words.

Slowly, Weiss lifted both arms. "Come here."

Yang happily obliged and leaned over her for a hug. The embrace was gentle and loose. Right now, Yang was afraid she might break her. The heat was wafting off her skin. Weiss' arms barely wrapped around her back. Before pulling away, Yang leaned down for a kiss. From the delicate, soft contact, Weiss smiled.

When they separated, the kiss echoed.

"Get some sleep, yeah?" Yang advised softly. She could tell it was hard for her girlfriend to keep her eyes open any longer. "I'll be here when you wake up. Promise."

To coax her to slumber, Yang rubbed soothing circles over her palm with her thumb. That seemed to do the trick when the priestess' eyes closed. Before she fell asleep, her lips slightly parted.

"Love you…"

Yang's heart melted all over again from those sweet words. After her girlfriend murmured that, Yang felt her hand go limp almost instantly. Yang wasn't sure if Weiss heard her reply, but she wanted- needed- to say it back.

"Love you, too, princess. Sweet dreams."

* * *

 **The "I… I…" line was a throwback to chapter 42. Yang was** _ **this**_ **close to saying "I love you" back then, but decided to wait. Until now!**

 **Lyrics mentioned: "This was all worth the heartache"- I'm a Believer.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	54. Rest Assured

It should have been a typical Monday. If Monday's could be worse than usual, this Monday managed to pull it off.

Most students spent their time chatting in the halls before school officially began. Ruby and Blake were no different and lingered around their lockers. The only thing they cared about today was taking notes and gathering any assignments the freezerburn couple was bound to miss.

Thankfully, Yang and Weiss' absences won't count against them. Their participation grades won't slip, but Weiss would definitely want to stay updated on her studies. Yang would complain at first, but would get it done anyways. If only to appease her girlfriend.

"Why does our first class have to be with Oobleck?" Ruby whined. "I couldn't sleep last night. I'm not ready for this."

Ruby felt like a hypocrite for telling Yang to sleep when she herself couldn't.

Blake gave her a tired smile. "I know. You tossed and turned all night, my rose."

"Oh no, I'm so sorry did I keep you up?"

Both girls had bags under their eyes. It'd been a _long_ weekend. They were too worried about their bedridden friend to rest.

"No, you didn't," Blake reassured. "I couldn't sleep anyways. I'm used to Yang's loud noises. The house was quiet, so it was unsettling. And I'm really worried about Weiss."

"At least her fever's at 101 now," Ruby said evenly. "That's an improvement from 104 at the very least."

Blake nodded in agreement. "It's not much, but it's something."

"Yeah," Ruby chirped happily.

"Hey, Ruby?" Blake asked like she was hesitant.

"First names," Ruby said in amusement. "What is it my dear Blake?" she asked in a joking tone.

"Do you think Weiss would appreciate it if we kept quiet about her being in the hospital? She likes to keep things to herself, so maybe we shouldn't talk about it in school."

"I'm not sure," Ruby said, in deep thought. "If people find out, I don't see why that'd be a bad thing."

"I guess that's a good point," Blake reasoned.

A new concerned voice chimed in the conversation. It came from behind the pair, which caused them to turn around.

"Hey guys," Jaune greeted. "I overheard that someone has a fever?"

Since his locker was next to theirs, it was inevitable that he'd hear the conversation. There were various murmurs in the halls and Jaune just happened to be behind them when the couple talked about the situation.

It didn't take long for the rest of his friends to appear by his side. Even the normally cheerful Nora seemed downcast.

Pyrrha stood next to Jaune and spoke calmly. "Is everything okay?"

"It will be," Ruby casually replied like there was nothing to worry about. "Our friend is sick is all."

Jaune noticed that the normally four-person group was reduced to half. "Is it Yang or Weiss? They're both not here."

Pyrrha nodded in agreement. "The halls are a lot quieter without them."

"Uhhh," Ruby mumbled. She wasn't sure if her girlfriend agreed if telling people was okay or not.

Blake caught her distress and answered for her. "It's Weiss. She's in the hospital, so she and Yang aren't here today."

"What?!" Nora blurted in astonishment. "Since when?!"

"Goodness," Pyrrha murmured. "Is she okay?"

"Yeah, she's fine now," Ruby reassured in a soothing voice. "She's been there for a couple of days. It was just a high fever. Her temperature has dropped since then, so that's good."

Of course, the ladybug couple wasn't going to mention anything about the curse. The fewer details they gave them to go off of, the better.

Ren chimed in. "We must pay her a visit."

Ruby waved her hands in emphasis. "There's no need for that-"

Uncharacteristically, Pyrrha cut her off. "What kind of friends would we be if we don't show her that we care?"

Blake understood that point. However, she was almost positive that Weiss wouldn't want too many visitors in that cramped hospital room.

"To be honest," Blake began in a bargaining tone. "I think Yang and her like being there alone."

"Ohhhhh," Nora drawled in realization. "So this is like a long date for them."

Ruby nodded slowly. "That's- one way to put it."

Team RWBY had been through a lot the last few days. They felt that Weiss needed some time to herself and with her girlfriend before she was ready for other people to visit.

"When will she be discharged?" Ren asked.

"Uhhh," Ruby mumbled as she set a finger on her chin. "Not sure. Her fever's still high. Maybe tomorrow or the day after?"

"Alright then," Ren said firmly. "We'll plan something for her when she gets out."

The ladybug couple glanced at each other for reassurance. After nods, they smiled.

Ruby placed a finger over her lips. "Try to keep it a secret."

Nora gave them a thumbs up. "You gotcha!"

The bell rang, which caused the conversation to pause.

After the respective goodbyes to their friends, the ladybug pair headed to Oobleck's classroom.

Exhaustion weighed them down as they tried not to dread the long day ahead.

* * *

Calm rays trickled through the slanted windows.

A few minutes ago, Weiss had woken up. She moved to sit upright, but Yang adamantly refused to let her because she was still burning with fever.

Weiss protested at first, stating that it was no big deal. But Yang felt more at ease when her girlfriend was in a comfortable, relaxing position. Sitting upright required unnecessary taxation on the body. Seeing as Yang just cared for her well-being, Weiss remained lying down on the soft mattress.

Weiss was rested, so she had a little more energy and could stay awake longer before the medication took effect. Yang used this as her chance to explain a few things since her girlfriend was more aware and less doped up on medicine.

Now was the perfect opportunity to explain why she was in the hospital for the last few days.

The blonde told her about the curse. How Cinder was responsible. Mentioned that Ozpin had sealed the curse and that she was safe from it for now. She won't be in the clear until Cinder is dead, which wouldn't be an easy feat.

The next thing Yang covered was the curse's effect. That was the last thing she wanted to talk about. Seeing her girlfriend in pain like that caused fierce claws to rip her heart.

Yang was ashamed of herself. She apologized for being so oblivious when the clues of the curse had been there all along. Of course, Weiss insisted that none of this was her girlfriend's fault. In fact, she claimed it was her own for keeping it to herself.

"It makes sense," Weiss murmured as she stared at the blank ceiling. "Until now, I've had these random heart pains. I didn't realize it was something from the New World rather than the one we're used to."

"Yeah," Yang nodded sadly. "Oz said that you'd been affected for months. Why…" she paused as her voice wavered. "Why didn't you tell me?"

To Weiss, Yang sounded heartbroken. This was understandable. The realization caused Weiss' heart to sink into her stomach. She was starting to regret not telling her team that she noticed something was amiss. Then again, she originally thought that it was a simple illness that could be cured. Because she was so dead-set on that belief, she thought that there was nothing her team could do.

Weiss took a deep breath to explain herself.

"I didn't want to worry you until I knew a solution," azure locked with lilac. "I thought it was some illness, so I researched the symptoms but couldn't find what was wrong."

Yang took note of that. It was only natural of Weiss to think the cause was something from the natural world rather than the New World she was introduced to. Some supernatural curse was beyond her comprehension. Something she didn't even know existed.

Weiss continued to explain, her eyes twinkled with sadness and regret.

"I didn't want to add a problem when it wasn't necessary. I thought the team wouldn't be able to do anything. Technically, I wasn't wrong in that regard. The solution to the curse will take time. At least until we track down Cinder."

Yang nodded firmly from that. "We'll get her. Don't worry."

The priestess was hardly concerned with her own life. Going after the half-demon would be risky and put their lives on the line. The team was already hunting the five relics.

"I didn't want to add stress on the stress," Weiss explained. "We have the huge mission to find all of the relics, so I thought that this was insignificant compared to that… I'm sorry."

Yang seemed taken aback by that, but accepted the explanation. She tried to put herself in her girlfriend's shoes. Yang might've done the same thing if she was the one who got cursed. Especially if the small episodes were brief and didn't affect her daily life.

Weiss' tiny speech caused Yang's heart to beat faster. The words were full of sorrow and regret, but they spoke volumes of her character. Yang didn't know it was possible to fall even more in love with this girl.

"I love you."

Azure orbs widened. That was unexpected, but not unwelcome.

Weiss was worried that Yang would be mad at her for keeping it to herself, but the reply told her there was nothing to fear. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach from those three words. Weiss timidly smiled as she loosely squeezed her hand.

"I love you, too."

From the squeeze, Yang noticed that her girlfriend was still burning up. Weiss' grasp was weaker than she liked, so she leaned over to press her forehead on hers.

"You're still really warm," Yang said in a whisper. "Rest up, okay? The curse did a number on you."

After she said that, the heart monitor beeped multiple times. At first, Yang thought that it was from the close contact. From experience, Weiss caused her heart to skip a few beats, so she felt touched that she had that same effect on her. However, Weiss began to breathe rapidly so suddenly and tried in vain to stifle several whimpers.

"H-hey, Weiss?! What's wrong?!"

 _She was getting better!_ Yang thought. _What's happening?!_

The priestess' red face was furrowed in pain. Beads of sweat had collected so fast it barely gave Yang time to think. Weiss' grip suddenly became tight.

Before Yang could call for help, a nurse swooped into the room as the beeps rang incessantly. Yang stood out of the nurse's way as she twiddled the IV bag.

"What's wrong with her?" Yang tried to ask calmly, but panic gripped her tone.

Quickly, the nurse clipped a needle inside the IV bag and pressed down. After, she sighed in relief. Weiss' frantic breaths slowly became steady as Yang held her hand.

"Her fever spiked and she ran out of medicine."

It took all of Yang's willpower not to growl. Now that she thought about it, this nurse looked young. Very young. She must be new to the job.

"Can you not wait until she runs out to give her more?" Yang said firmly.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Xiao Long," the nurse apologized. "I miscalculated the timing. It won't happen again."

Instead of replying, Yang seethed internally. She might say something she'd regret if she spoke. The nurse took the silence as permission to leave. She was gone as quickly as she came.

Worriedly, Yang gazed down at Weiss.

"Weiss? Is it better?"

"Mhm," the priestess hummed tiredly. "It's working."

"I'm glad," Yang breathed in relief. "Is there anything you need?"

"I'm good for now. Thank you, Yang."

With that, Weiss closed her eyes. She'd been awake for a while, and it was finally catching up to her. Yang noticed that she was about to fall asleep, but azure orbs fluttered open from a vibration sound that came from the table next to her.

"Oh, uh," Yang stammered. "Your phone has been vibrating. Like non-stop. Is it okay if I check it?"

"You don't have to ask."

With a grin, Yang grabbed the phone. There was something about having permission to handle her girlfriend's phone whenever. That was like another level of trust. And Weiss granted it without hesitation.

"Alright then," the blonde replied.

There were multiple, no, dozens of texts from one person. From the same person. There were even several missed calls. Yang's eyebrows furrowed in concern. Especially since the name was vaguely familiar.

"Who is it?" Weiss asked tiredly.

"Woah," Yang mumbled. "All these are from-"

Just then, the door flew open. Slowly, Yang lowered the phone to meet the short man's gaze. Her tone was coated in uncertainty and familiarity. Like she knew her guess was correct.

"Klein."

* * *

 **Klein you SOB what took ya so long!?**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	55. Snowflake

Slowly, Yang lowered the phone and set it on her lap to meet the newcomer's gaze.

The man was slightly overweight with balding brown hair and had a large mustache. The flustered man stood there, distraught written all over his features. There was the beeping of the heart monitor that was all the more worrying.

He looked like he just ran a marathon. He was out of breath and his cheeks were tinted red.

As he stood there, Yang's tone was coated in uncertainty and familiarity. Like she knew her guess was correct.

"Klein."

The man in question fixed his gaze on the girl confined to the hospital bed. Like Yang wasn't even there.

Weiss was as red as a cherry surrounded by white. Her eyes were closed and she was drifting off, but she was vaguely aware that her girlfriend had called her precious butler's name. This compelled her to furrow her eyes, willing them to open.

From seeing Weiss' state, Klein rushed to her side.

"Weiss? Weiss, my Snowflake?"

Before he could get too close, Yang grabbed his arm. Not forcefully, just firmly enough to stop him. She wanted to be sure this man was who she thought he was. No one could get near her girlfriend without permission.

At last, the butler studied her protective gaze. That was the first time their eyes met.

"You're Klein, right?" Yang asked almost defensively.

The startled butler nodded. "That's right. You must be her girlfriend. Yang, is it?"

From the revelation, Yang released him. That was a good enough response. "You know I'm her girlfriend?"

For some reason, Yang thought Weiss wouldn't talk much about their relationship. Apparently, Yang had been mentioned to the butler.

"Of course," Klein said obviously. "She talks about you all the time."

Okay, more than mentioned.

Yang's jaw went slack as she stared down at her resting girlfriend. It wasn't often that Weiss talked about her personal life, and yet she did to her butler? Then again, the two seemed close. Of course Weiss would want to keep him in the loop. From the thought, Yang's head started to buzz and her heart filled with love. She was touched from the revelation and naturally smiled.

Klein continued with a natural gusto. "I finally get to meet the girl who makes my Snowflake smile," he held out his hand, not at all affected from the previous confrontation.

Truth is, ever since Yang found out that Klein was technically the man who raised Weiss, she'd wanted to meet him. It was an interesting first impression, but Yang's had worse experiences.

To make up for it, Yang shook his hand firmly. "It's my job as her girlfriend. I have a thing for making her happy."

After the handshake, Klein sadly stared at the red-faced girl. Her face was furrowed like she was trying to open her eyes.

Gradually, Klein leaned down and whispered solemnly. "Snowflake? Snowflake, can you hear me?"

When there was no response, Yang dejectedly frowned. "She's out of it," from that, he gave her a confused look, so she explained. "She's on lots of meds and was about to fall asleep before you walked in. I think she's trying to stay up for you."

After a tiny groan, hazy azure pools fluttered open. That caused the two to lean in, fully alert. A spark of recognition swirled in those blue eyes.

"Klein…"

Fondly, Klein brushed her white bangs to the side. No sweat had collected thanks to Yang's efforts. His gentle touch elicited a little smile. "I'm here now, Snowflake. I'm truly sorry that I kept you waiting."

Weiss let out a deep exhale as she spoke. Her voice was riddled with exhaustion. "I'm sorry I didn't return your calls…"

Yang couldn't help but huff from that. It's not like she was even able to. She'd been sleeping for over half the time she'd been in the hospital. "You're hardly to blame, princess."

A soft hum was enough to acknowledge her statement. Unable to help herself, Weiss' eyes closed. Her eyelids had grown heavy, but she intended to listen.

Klein sensed she wouldn't be awake for much longer and leaned back up to give her some space. He held her torrid hand and faced Yang, who adorned a poker face. Klein's softened expression warped to a stern one.

"What happened to her?" he looked firm, but his voice broke. "I was worried sick."

"Uhh…" Yang mumbled, trying to think of an excuse.

Telling him what actually happened was out of the question.

 _Oh she's like this because she's a priestess and was cursed by a half-demon when we fell into an abyss. We went to a floating island and to get to that island we flew on a magical broom named fucking Wanda. We fought a god damned sea dragon and an army of grimm for your precious snowflake to get to this point._

That'd play out well.

"Uhh…"

Klein leaned in, expectant.

Yang pointed her finger like she had an epiphany. "She collapsed when we were on a date," she nodded to herself in reassurance and crossed her arms with finality. "It was then that I realized she had a high fever. I should've noticed way sooner. We took her to the hospital and have been here since."

Ultimately, Klein accepted the explanation but still had a question. "How long ago was that?"

"Friday," Yang informed.

"I see," Klein dipped his head in sadness. He wiped away a tear and looked back up at Yang when he gathered himself. "I'm glad that Weiss has friends who care about her."

"Of course," Yang gave him a bashful smile and sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. "Sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I didn't want to go through her phone when she was asleep. It would've felt wrong, but she gave me permission to look not long ago."

"You're very respectful," Klein commented.

"Eh," Yang shrugged. "I like it when people respect my privacy, so I give them theirs."

Klein nodded and together, they gazed down at the dozing priestess. Her pulse was a steady rhythm as the heart monitor beeped continuously. The sound was reassuring, but the robotic sound that came with it unsettled them. It was better to listen to the natural heart. Not some machine. The wire that was still in her forearm attached to the IV drip. The loose robe was a stark contrast to the blushing skin.

Yang broke the comfortable silence.

"How'd you find out she was here, anyways?"

"I got a call from-"

"Hey."

Alarmed, the pair faced the door to find the monotone voice. The regular visitors were a pair of red and black.

"-Blake," Klein acknowledged knowingly with a wave.

Jokingly, the faunus waved back.

From the greeting, Yang perked up. "Am I missing something here?"

Blake sent her a sharp smirk. "I called him not even ten minutes ago," she informed as she timidly smiled at the butler. "I had a feeling you'd beat us here."

In astonishment, Yang whipped her head to Klein. The man had to sprint and speed in a car to get to the hospital in such a short amount of time. Yang knew where her girlfriend lived. From her house to the hospital, the route was at least fifteen minutes.

Klein booked it the _second_ he found out where Weiss was. The unyielding trust and bond those two had caused Yang to smile gratefully.

The ladybug pair propped their backpacks against the wall.

Blake continued with a smile. "I figured you'd want to know where your precious Snowflake was."

Klein returned the grin. "You were correct. Thank you for that."

Before Ruby joined them, she carefully handled half a dozen white lilies. The flowers blended in the atmosphere and emitted a delectable, serene aroma. Happily, Ruby showed her sister and butler the radiant flowers. She held them out to Weiss to see even though her eyes were closed.

"Aren't they pretty?" Ruby chirped in delight. "Oz and Glyn got them for you, Weissy."

Weiss's eyes were closed, so she didn't reply. Ruby understood that and lovingly set the flowers on the window sill under the sun. In response, the petals sparkled like a river in the night.

Yang's breath was taken away. "That was nice of them. Tell 'em she said thanks."

"I will," Ruby assured and glanced down the resting priestess. "How is she?"

"Definitely improving," Yang gave them a reassuring thumbs-up. "She was up not long ago and we talked for a while."

"The meds must've kicked in, huh?" Ruby asked to clarify.

"Yep," Yang said, popping the 'p.'

Due to all this loud talking, it was hard to sleep.

"Klein."

The call grabbed the team's and butler's attention. Until now, they thought that Weiss was asleep. Little did they know, she'd been drifting off, but their muffled voices kept pulling her back to reality like an anchor. She made out a few words here and there. From what she could tell, Klein was still here.

From the call of his name, Klein grasped her hand and used a soft voice. "What is it, Snowflake?"

Her lips slightly parted. "Love you."

That caused everyone to break out in grins.

"Aw," Ruby couldn't help but coo.

"I love you, too," Klein replied and sniffled a bit.

From his reply, Weiss gripped his hand as tight as she could manage, which wasn't much. The atmosphere was lighthearted and bubbly for a moment.

Until the door flew open without warning.

Weiss' assigned nurse trailed inside. From the intrusion, Yang checked the clock on the wall. Around this time, the nurse checked Weiss' temperature to confirm if the medicine was working or not. If not, they made slight adjustments to the treatment. It'd been smooth sailing so far besides that one time her caretaker timed it wrong.

After a quick exchange of greetings, the nurse slipped the thermometer in Weiss' mouth, receiving no protest.

"Getting closer to one-hundred," the nurse informed cheerfully. "At this rate, you'll be discharged tomorrow."

"Alright!" Ruby cheered triumphantly. "Ya hear that, Weissy? You'll be free soon!"

Blake sighed in relief. "That's such great news."

The nurse fiddled with the IV bag a bit and explained why she was doing so. In the past, Yang wanted to know what they were doing to her girlfriend at all times. The blonde would get somewhat defensive if the staff didn't explain themselves.

"Doctor Shiranui said to lower the dosage."

Klein felt relief wash over him. "That's a good sign."

"Mhm," Weiss hummed in agreement, taking solace in the hand that was holding hers.

When she was done, the nurse left the room as she scribbled notes on the clipboard.

Klein squeezed Weiss' hand once. "I'll be back, Weiss. I'm going to get you a fresh pair of clothes for when you get discharged."

"Okay," Weiss said tiredly. "Thank you, Klein."

Naturally, she didn't want him to leave. But he sounded like there was no changing his mind. Plus, she needed clothes if she was going to leave the hospital. There was no way she was walking out of here in a drafty robe.

Before Klein opened the door, he called over his shoulder. "Take care of her."

Yang crossed her arms with a smirk. "No need to say it."

After Klein opened the door, he was met with a towering form that had reached for the knob. As a result, his hand floated.

His presence caused Klein to step back in a fluster. As he did so, the new visitor glared him down with an icy stare. A stare fitting with those frozen eyes.

The coldness the man emanated didn't compare to the rising warmth of the room. From the new arrival, Yang stepped in front of the bed protectively, effectively blocking the path between him and her girlfriend.

She glowered at the man like she was a predator and he was mere prey. He returned the glare with full force, not at all bothered from the challenge.

The lioness inside mercilessly rattled the cage.

The room was becoming humid as Yang stood there stiffly with a stern expression. The first signs of her yellow flames were beginning to spark.

When the man with white hair glared at her girlfriend that was resting in bed, Yang snarled like a raging beast.

Her eyes were blood.

* * *

 **This chapter kicked my ass. I used it to procrastinate a test. It worked.**

 **The doctor is named Shiranui because I'm currently playing a game called Okami. The white wolf's parent is called that. It means 'white wild majesty.' The game is lit.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	56. The Raging Beast Within

She glowered at the man in front of the door like she was a predator and he was mere prey. He returned the glare with full force, not at all bothered from the challenge.

The lioness inside mercilessly rattled the cage with fierce claws.

The room was becoming humid as Yang stood there stiffly with a stern expression. The first signs of her yellow flames were beginning to spark.

When the man with white hair glared at her girlfriend that was resting in bed, Yang snarled like a raging beast.

Her eyes were blood.

This was the man she _despised_.

Unlike Weiss, Yang didn't have the will to forgive or forget. This man was the sole source for all her girlfriend's problems.

The man with white hair glared at Weiss with those icy eyes, not even giving Yang the time of day. The heart monitor beeped loudly and stunned the room into silence.

Weiss was vaguely aware of the tension in the room and willed her eyes to open. It took a few attempts, but she managed it. There was a figure by the closed door. His silhouette and glare were enough for her to confirm. There was no one else he could be.

"Father…"

The lioness ripped off the metal cage door like it was paper. That was all Yang needed to pounce. The blonde didn't hesitate for a second. The only thing that held her back was not knowing for _sure_ if the man was Weiss' father. Now that she knew, she released the wild beast.

"You son of'a bitch!"

No one was fast enough to hold her back.

Rapidly, she cocked her fist back and landed a harsh jab directly in his gut. Jacques didn't see it coming and was unable to defend himself as a gasp tore from his lungs. To add to the pain, the brawler twisted her fist in like a screw.

From that, the Schnee doubled over. Yang stood there, deepening the punch that forced him to stumble backward into the door. There was a resounding thud as she grunted in determination, trying to make it more painful.

It was all so sudden, so everyone else in the room had been stunned stiff.

At last, the ladybug pair snapped out of it when they registered what was happening as their jaws hung open. While they were satisfied to see that the douchebag was getting what he deserved, they couldn't let this continue.

Or Yang would literally murder him.

"Yang, stop!" Ruby yelped as she grabbed her free arm.

That had little effect as Yang lifted it. Ruby dangled off the floor and jerked it with all her might with no effect.

Quickly, Blake rushed her friend and yanked on the arm that was being used to deal the drawn-out blow. "Snap out of it!"

When Yang was like this and let hatred fuel her, it was harder to get her under control. At least Yang didn't have her brass knuckles on her. That would have been devastating. Yang's eyes were still crimson as she twisted further, eliciting more satisfying, pained gasps from the Schnee.

"Don't try to _fucking_ stop me!" she grunted as her red eyes watered. She got directly in his face and shouted. "This is nothing compared to the pain you put her through!" Although she sounded livid, her voice wavered halfway through. A lot of heartache burned behind it.

When Klein had seen enough, he joined the ladybug pair to pry the beast off. Yang's anger only made her stronger. Three people didn't have an effect. It was like they weren't even there. Luckily for them, the pissed off blonde was finished with him and yanked her fist away.

Immediately after, Ruby and Blake reeled Yang several steps back. They stumbled a bit from the suddenness and stood directly in front of the bed, where Weiss was resting.

Jacques held his stomach, still keeled over in agony.

"Y-you wild animal!" Jacques tried to shout, but his voice wasn't as stern as he'd like. "I'll sue!"

Firmly, the ladybug pair kept an iron grip on each of Yang's arms in case she tried to do something again. Thankfully, Yang understood that. She wasn't sure when she'd pounce next or if she'd be able to control herself.

Yang growled, her eyes still red. "I'd like to see you try."

"There's plenty of witnesses, you fool!" Jacques spat as he tried to stand upright.

Blake's cat ears flickered. "Did you all hear something just now? Sounded like a whiny douche."

From that, Ruby looked to Yang. "Did you see anything?"

"No, did you?" the blonde asked knowingly.

Klein joined in, risking his job in the process. "What're you talking about?"

Jacques rose to his full stature, his hands still clutching his sore stomach. His face was grimaced in pain, which gave the team some satisfaction. He'd be fine. The harsh jab was nothing lethal. Yang exercised restraint despite boiling with rage.

"Klein," Jacques spat like his name was venom. "I know you've been covering for Weiss. I was willing to let that go, but this is preposterous. You're fired! You're never allowed in my manor ever again, you swine!"

The air was heavy as Klein processed his words.

Before the girls could speak on his behalf, Klein dipped his head. "I accept that graciously."

Multiple weak gasps.

There were many thoughts going through their minds. The butler just lost his job that he'd been working since before Weiss was born. Even after knowing him for so long, his employer treated him like garbage.

"You!" Jacques pointed an accusatory finger at Weiss. Her hazy eyes were open to register that and she could hear him clear as day. "Consider yourself disowned. This was the last straw. How dare you show weakness like that. It's pathetic."

"Says the piece of shit still holding his stomach!" Yang snarled.

Fortunately, Blake and Ruby were aware that the blonde might snap and kept an iron grip. Despite their best efforts, Yang broke free without a hitch and advanced. Jacques backed against the door, his arms up to defend himself.

"Stop."

Before Yang could get close, she abruptly stopped in her tracks. Her red eyes whipped behind her.

The feeble plea came from her precious girlfriend, who was straining to sit up. The only one who could tame the beast was Weiss.

Without help, Weiss sat upright and adjusted her robe that almost fell off her shoulder. She stared defiantly at her father. Her red face only served to accent her stern blue eyes.

The heart monitor became irregular for a moment, but calmed after a few seconds. Maybe because Klein slipped by her side. His presence gave her the reassurance she needed. Weiss said nothing to her Father, only glared.

Jacques adjusted his white suit and cleared his throat. "That's all I came here to say."

Yang grit her teeth, her tone drenched in sorrow. "How can you be so cruel?"

When the Schnee set his hand on the doorknob, Weiss spoke.

"I'm finally free..."

In spite, Jacques glared down at the knob. "Don't show your face in my house ever again."

With that, the Schnee left the room and the door shut behind him.

Silence.

The team and butler glanced amongst each other, still processing what just transpired.

The situation was not ideal, but provided another door to opportunities. It felt liberating to finally be free from him. Weiss was anxious about her future, but for some reason, this felt right. Like it was meant to happen.

"Thank you, Yang."

Yang was taken aback by that. The moment she heard her girlfriend's voice, her blood eyes faded to lilac. "You're thankin' me for assaulting your father?"

Weiss timidly smiled. "I admit, he deserved it. I'm not thanking you for that. You stood up to him. For me."

"Well yeah," Yang said obviously. "He's scum."

The priestess gazed at all her friends and butler. "You all stood up to him. Thank you."

Blake sent her a grin. "No problem."

"Of course we'd help you out, Weissy," Ruby said softly. "We love you."

Slowly, Weiss dipped her head as she sniffled. "He's not my father anymore…"

There was a gentle hand on her shoulder. Klein sat next to her on the bed and gave her a stern, unyielding expression. Light brown eyes sparkled in determination.

"He's not, but I can be."

A cat ear flicked. Blake thought she was hearing things. "What?"

Weiss gave him a confused look. "Pardon?"

"I can adopt you," Klein offered with a smile. "If you'll have me."

Truthfully, Weiss had always looked up to him like he was her real father. To make it official was like a dream come true.

"Of course," Weiss replied softly. "If you'll put up with me."

Gently, Klein wrapped his arms around her in an embrace. When Weiss returned the warm hug, he murmured.

"Ah, there's my happy little Snowflake."

"Woah…" Ruby muttered, thinking that the issue resolved itself. "That's fantastic…"

Tears almost flowed down Blake's cheeks and she wiped them away. "Such good news."

Cheerfully, Yang smiled. "You're finally free."

In the lighthearted scene, the sun's rays trickled through the open windows and beamed on the two. It lit up the entire room.

Since they were having a moment, Ruby, Blake, and Yang were quiet and watched the heartwarming embrace with smiles. They didn't know for how long the cherished moment lasted.

Klein noticed that his snowflake didn't feel nearly as feverish as before. This was a relieving realization as he held her close. Eventually, Weiss' grip became loose and her arms fell, slack by her side. Her breathing was steady as she leaned onto Klein.

Noticing that she fell asleep in his arms, Klein carefully coaxed her to lay down. Weiss hadn't stirred from the endeavor as he cradled her head and set it on the fluffy pillow.

After Klein fondly smiled down at her resting face, he gazed at her teammates, who adorned the widest smiles.

Yang crossed her arms triumphantly. "I guess you're gonna be my father-in-law. Good to have you, papa-?"

Klein grinned under the mustache. "Sieben."

"Papa Sieben. I like it!"

* * *

 **Aw, glad that worked out! They've come a long way!**

" **You can't fix a problem that can't be solved, Blake."**

 **I beg to differ, Weiss!**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	57. A Fulfilling First Step

Finally, it was Tuesday.

Earlier, the nurse had come in to check Weiss' temperature. It was at a perfect 98.6 degrees, so she was free to be discharged. When the nurse determined that, she removed the IV and heart monitor wire.

This was great timing. When she was told the good news, the ladybug pair had already returned from school. There was a brief round of cheers from the information.

Yang sent her girlfriend a grin. "We'll leave you to get dressed."

With that, Yang and the ladybug pair headed to the door.

"Wait," Weiss called, which caused them to stop in their tracks. "I-I may need help."

From the statement, Yang's jaw dropped as her cheeks heated up. Now it looked like she was the one with a fever. "W-what?" she stammered.

From her reaction, Weiss erupted into tiny giggles. To muffle them, she placed a hand over her mouth. This stunned her team into silence. When she had her laugh, she sent Yang the smuggest grin.

"I'm kidding," Weiss said, trying to fight the remaining giggles. "That was payback from when you had a migraine, remember?"

"Wha…" Yang's jaw hung open, which made Weiss teasingly close it with a finger and a wink.

The ladybug couple didn't understand the reference.

Ruby pointed her finger in realization. "You mean when she passed out that one time?"

A hum of acknowledgment.

Blake sighed heavily. "Leave it to you to joke about that when you're on the verge of collapse."

Yang shrugged. "I can never resist teasing the princess."

"I'm painfully aware of that," the priestess stated. "Now shoo."

Ruby chuckled from her phrasing. "The pests will leave you alone now."

With that, the three shut the door and stood awkwardly in the busy hall. At this time of day, the hospital was busy and filled with people. The staff was rushing around, going to the next patients.

Ruby worriedly looked over to Yang. "Where's she gonna go?"

"Weiss?" from that, Ruby nodded. "Klein found a temporary place. He works fast."

"Woah," Ruby mumbled. "That was quick."

Blake nodded in agreement. "That's very impressive. Must be some of his perfected butler tendencies."

"Probably," Yang admitted. "I offered for them to live at our place."

Ruby's eyes twinkled from the thought. "We have some space. I'm sure Dad wouldn't mind it."

"He wouldn't mind," Yang agreed. "Apparently, Klein's just as stubborn as the Schnee's."

From the thought, Blake smiled. "I can attest to that."

Of course the former butler would pick up some qualities from the Schnee's. Even if he didn't want to. The traits might've been subconscious since he'd been living with them for so long.

Yang crossed her arms with a smirk as she leaned on the door. Her foot was firmly on the surface while the other held her body up. "Klein's looking for a house now. For now, I think they're crashing at some apartment complex."

Blake smugly grinned. Weiss living in an apartment complex? The thought was amusing to say the least. It'd be interesting to watch her slowly adjust to her new place. "That'll be different than the mansion she's used to," she said, thinking of how much of a struggle it might be for her friend to adjust to a 'commoners' lifestyle.

Before Ruby or Yang could reply, the door opened. Since Yang was leaning on it, she fell back with her arms flailing.

"Woa-oh!"

Yang almost fell, but Weiss caught her and acted as a crutch.

"You brute. Don't lean on the door."

Happily, Yang got off her girlfriend and grained her footing. "The princess saved me!"

Weiss gave her a playful eye roll.

Blake smiled at her, giving her a curious examination. "You look good as new."

Fortunately, Klein had retrieved her school uniform. Since he knew all the ways to sneak into the mansion, he was able to slip in without a hitch. No one saw him at the mansion. Not even Jacques.

"Thanks, Blake," Weiss smiled.

Fondly, Yang wrapped her girlfriend in a hug. The embrace was unexpected, so Weiss stiffened before returning the hug. Gently, the blonde pressed her forehead on her own, causing a blush from both girls.

"Yep, your fever's down!"

When they pulled apart, Weiss shyly looked away. "The nurse already said so. You don't need an excuse to be close to me."

That comment elicited a deeper blush from Yang if that was possible. "W-uh…"

Ruby gave Weiss a thumbs up. "That's the second time you've made her speechless and it hasn't even been two minutes!"

Blake smirked broadly. "I guess you're the only one who can shut her up."

"Shut up!" Yang yelped in a fluster.

Ruby pumped her fist in the air. "Alright, teeeeeam RWBY! Let's get outta here!"

Liking the idea, Weiss placed a hand on her back. "Another second in this place will drive me insane."

Luckily, Blake was already carrying Weiss' backpack so she didn't have to. And the lilies that her professors had bought for her. Initially, Weiss protested the gesture, but Blake insisted, stating that she'd been carrying it around for two days, anyway. Yang wanted to be the one to carry the bag and flowers, but Blake told her her job was to hold her girlfriend's hand.

With that, the team exited the hospital without difficulties. The couples were hand-in-hand as the glass double doors slid open. Since Klein had previously texted Weiss the new address, they were able to follow a GPS on her phone while enjoying the serene day.

There was a chill in the air. It was a blessing in disguise. Weiss and Yang sniffed the fresh breeze greedily. For five days, there'd been the constant smells of medicine and drugs. This was liberating to say the least.

It didn't take long to arrive at the complex. The apartment was about ten minutes away from Ruby's house. It was nothing extravagant, but it would do for the time being. They thought that since Klein's search was short, the complex would be crappy, but it was decent.

It was a regular tan building with a dark brown roof. Nothing spectacular. The scattered windows were outlined in white. There was plenty of vegetation surrounding the complex, which gave it animated life. Yang knew that Weiss was fond of gardens and flowers, so that lifted her spirits.

The complex wasn't much, but it was the first step to a new life. A fulfilling one. One without her abusive father.

"I like the outside," Ruby said with a grin. "It looks like a painting almost."

Yang pointed at the rustling vegetation. "Especially with the little bushes on the side."

Weiss was looking down at her phone and scanning the text. "He said it's number eight."

From the information, Ruby announced. "Onward!"

Ruby grabbed her friend's arm and whisked her away. "You dolt!"

Inside, Weiss was just as excited to see her temporary home as she was. It was a far cry from the mansion, but it was already more like a home than the large mansion was.

The team just had to cover one flight of stairs until they reached the correct door. Eager, Ruby knocked several times. Hardly.

"Dunce, I'm sure he heard you the first five times."

"Eheheh," Ruby dryly laughed. "Sorry, I'm just excited."

After she said that, the red-caped girl bounced up and down in place.

Yang gave her sister a look. "We haven't noticed."

After a few seconds of waiting, Klein opened the door.

"Come in, come in!" Klein invited the group inside with gusto. "I've been cleaning all day."

With permission, the team walked inside. Almost every surface of the place sparkled from sprays or washcloths. There was one window, which caused Weiss to carefully grab the flowers from Blake's hold. Weiss strode over to the window and with care, she placed the white lilies on the sill. The flowers soaked up the sun's rays.

The flowers pulled the room together.

There were two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a common area. The kitchen appliances and the living room was a shared space that was connected with an archway. The kitchen area had a small table with two wooden chairs.

In the center, there was a fluffy couch and a medium-sized television.

Weiss absorbed the room. It was nothing like her old house.

And she _loved_ it.

As Yang strode across the wooden floor, her eyes twinkled. "Woah," she breathed. Almost every surface in the apartment was sparkling. Klein must've been a great butler.

While Blake looked around, she asked. "How'd you find this place so fast?"

After Klein dusted a countertop, he replied. "A nice gentleman had just moved out and the landlord needed more people. I'm glad I snatched it on time. It will work until we find a house."

"Klein," Weiss called with worry in her tone. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, snowflake," Klein reassured with a grin so wide that his mustache didn't cover his top teeth. "Your father paid me well for over a decade. I've invested the money, so we have plenty."

 _We..._

"Okay," Weiss conceded, but she didn't sound happy about it. "I feel bad because I'm freeloading."

"You're not," Klein insisted as he placed a warm hand on her shoulder. "You're my daughter."

Hearing those words was still brand new. It caused her heart to smile and feel warm. Fuzzy even.

"Technically, not yet," Weiss reminded with a soft smile. "We need the paperwork first."

"Leave that to me, snowflake."

In the distance, Yang mumbled. " _Schneeflake_ ," before laughing quietly to herself.

Since it was quiet, everyone heard. Blake's cat ears twitched in annoyance. It was only a matter of time.

Truthfully, Yang wanted to call her girlfriend that for some time now. Ever since she found out that that was Klein's nickname for Weiss. Yang did a good job of holding her tongue until now. Every time Klein called her that, the two seemed to have a heartwarming moment.

This may count as one of them, but Yang could no longer hold back as she sent them a mischievous smirk.

The pun earned a playful glare.

"What?" Yang asked with feign innocence. "Has it really not been done before?"

Ruby groaned in frustration. "Only you would think of something stupid like that."

From Weiss' lack of a reply, Yang grinned wider. "Guess that's a nope."

"Such a brute," Weiss fondly breathed and gave Klein her attention. "Which one's my room?"

"Down the hall to the left."

Together, team RWBY sauntered down the hall and entered the room. The walls were light tan and her bed was similar to the hospital bed she'd been confined to for several days. This bed was much smaller than the king-sized one she previously slept in.

Despite the obvious differences, Weiss grinned.

This would definitely do. She was now living with her true dad. Anywhere they lived, she'd be okay with. As long as he was by her side.

"I like it!" Yang declared. "It's simple and has a nice homey feel to it."

The room was smaller. Everything was smaller. Less extravagant. At least compared to Weiss' former, football field-sized room. In Weiss' old room, she always felt cold and lonely. The air here was warm and inviting. Especially with her teammates in here. Their presences definitely lightened the atmosphere.

The walls were bare, so Ruby chirped. "You should put some decorations up! I have tons of pictures and paintings of cool weapons you can have!"

"Thanks for the offer, but I'll pass," Weiss said. She'd always had an artistic side. Maybe she could fill the room with her own paintings.

Blake crossed her arms as she inspected the room. "Don't get fond of it. You're leaving eventually."

After a relieved sigh, Weiss sat on the edge of her bed. "It'll do for now. I actually like it."

"Whew," Ruby said in relief. "That's good. Like we said before, you're always welcome in our house."

"I know. Thank you, but that's not necessary."

Happily, Yang gazed at her girlfriend. "She'll do fine here, right?"

"Right."

Carefully, Blake set Weiss' backpack on her chair that was at her desk. Surprisingly, the snowflake patterned laptop was there. Klein had already retrieved Weiss' other things, like her computer and other clothes. He grabbed other things like her favorite pairs of shoes, hygienic items, and a pillow. Since her new bed was smaller, he bought different sheets that fit the mattress.

He did all of this in less than a day.

He was a super butler.

The room was coated in peaceful silence. The team checked out the room with smiles, glad that this was a fresh start away from the toxic mansion.

Blake gazed at Weiss. "You only have a few assignments. It was only two days worth of school. That goes for you, too, Yang."

Yang groaned in annoyance from the thought of catching up. It could've been worse. Any missed assignments still could be doable even if she missed a few lessons.

To relax for now, Yang sat on the mattress next to her girlfriend. "Oh, fluffy."

Experimentally, Weiss bounced a few times in her seat. "It's fluffier than it looks."

To join the fun, Ruby sat next to Yang and gave a few bounces, giggling all the while.

From her joyful, childish reaction, Weiss sent her a grin. "Dolt."

Ruby returned the grin full force as she gazed at the couple. "We can help you out with the homework if you want."

"Focus on your sister," Weiss placed a hand on Yang's back. "Don't worry about me. I'll catch up in no time."

Yang gave her a smug look. "Are you implying that it'll take me a while, my dear girlfriend?"

Weiss returned the expression. "We all know I'm better at time management."

The ladybug couple could help but nod in agreement.

"She's not wrong," Blake admitted.

"I see how it is," the blonde said knowingly, not at all offended like she already knew it to be true.

Sweetly, the freezerburn couple leaned in for a kiss. This caused Ruby and Blake to recoil in disgust. It was just a peck, so the yellow and white pair didn't linger for long.

"Ew!" Ruby yelped. "I don't want to see that!"

When they separated, Yang gave them a smug grin. "I don't know about you, but we finally got a _broom_ ," she snickered, referencing her days-old pun.

Annoyed groans.

* * *

When Ruby, Blake, and Yang returned home, they were greeted with a wide smile and a giddy bark.

It'd been five days since Yang had been home. She hadn't seen her dad for five days. The ladybug pair thought of random excuses to get her off the hook, reassuring their father that she was okay and safe.

"You're all home!" Taiyang beamed. "Yang!"

"Hey, Dad," Yang returned the smile full force.

With open arms, Taiyang pulled Yang in for a hug. This hug was particularly long as Zwei licked her leg. It'd been a while since he'd seen her face. Her blonde mane was more frazzled than usual. There were light circles under her eyes.

As he held her close, Tai noticed something else.

"Yang…" Taiyang mumbled. "You smell like crap."

When he said that, Zwei's snout wrinkled and he let out a soft growl. Like he didn't like the smell either.

"Ew," Ruby pinched her nose. "You didn't take a shower?!"

Yang flailed her arms in emphasis. "I never left! Give me a break, at least I had deodorant and baby wipes!"

Until now, Blake had held her tongue about her scent. Yang was mixed with the undeniable smell of sweat, medicines, and now shame.

"It's not cutting it anymore," the faunus said bluntly.

Taiyang nodded in agreement. "Go take a shower."

"I don't smell _that_ bad," experimentally, Yang sniffed one of her armpits and couldn't fight the cringe. "Nope. I just smell like delicious onions."

Cleverly, Ruby retorted. "You're also making us cry."

Yang gave her a look.

"Do us all a favor and get in the shower," Taiyang advised. "When you get out, there's food on the table if you want some."

"Oh, food!"

From the mention of her dad's delectable food, Ruby darted to the table and began to devour all the fruit on plates. Before, Blake had already spotted the delicious snacks and munched on some strawberries.

Taiyang sniffed the air to give his blonde daughter a nudge. The little corgi repeatedly rammed into his legs, trying to muffle his sensitive nose.

"I don't think Zwei can handle the smell much longer," Taiyang laughed as he gazed down at the poor corgi.

"You're exaggerating, Zwei!" Yang declared and playfully rolled her eyes. "Welcome home, Yang," she said in feign giddiness as she retreated up the stairs.

"We still love you!" Taiyang called after her.

As Yang trudged up the stairs, she mumbled.

"Stupid walk of shame..."

* * *

 **Yay! They're out of that god forsaken hospital. Let's seeeeee. Team RWBY has three of the five relic pieces! They would've had four if the half-demon didn't steal one :D**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	58. Welcome Back!

"I never thought I'd say this, but it's good to be back!"

Happily, the freezerburn couple walked through the front doors of Beacon Academy. It was odd to begin school in the middle of the week, but still nice to be back now that Weiss had recovered.

Since it was their first time back in two days, the freezerburn pair decided to get to school early. To make sure that they'd have a good start to the long day. Of course, it was Weiss' idea. She invited Yang to tag along if she wanted. There was an opportunity to be with her girlfriend, so naturally Yang agreed.

The halls were mostly vacant. There were a few students here and there. For the most part, they had the building to themselves. With this time, they could adjust and get their supplies ready for the day ahead.

"It hasn't been that long," Weiss said. "I'm glad we're out of the hospital. Being here is worlds better."

Fondly, Yang grabbed her hand as they walked down the halls.

"Especially when my girlfriend's aaaaall better!" the blonde declared for all to hear. Even though not many people were around.

"Brute," Weiss happily mumbled. Seeing her so happy caused her heart to flutter. Especially when she realized how worried her girlfriend was previously. "Don't announce that when people are around. In fact, don't do that now. Some staff may hear."

"Lighten up, _Schneeflake_ ," Yang giggled lightly to herself from her own joke. "That'll never get old. Can't believe I hadn't thought of that before I knew Klein called you that."

Weiss sighed in feigned annoyance. "You'll be the death of me."

"Oh," Yang chirped. "I forgot to ask. How was your new bed last night? Did ya get a good sleep?"

Living in a new environment usually took time to adjust to. From the looks of it, Weiss was well-rested. Maybe a little eager to be back at school.

At first, Weiss was skeptical from the question, but realized that her girlfriend cared about how she was adjusting to her new place. Her brute somehow found the most trivial things to worry about. It made her heart smile.

"It was better than expected," the priestess replied evenly. "Honestly, the smaller size doesn't make much of a difference to me. Now that I think about it, my old bed was overkill."

She only took up about a quarter of her old bed's space. Even when she sprawled out completely, there was plenty of room to spare. Normally, she curled in on herself, so it felt like the space was a waste. With this new bed, at least she was using it to its fullest.

Yang shrugged in agreement. "You don't exactly take up much space. I wish your bed was bigger," she leaned down and whispered into her ear. "Then I could'a joined you…"

As her breath tickled her ear, Weiss' cheeks heated up as her heart thumped thickly in her chest.

Some part of her told her that Yang was joking, but there was another part screaming that she wasn't. That it was the truth. What she wanted. Truthfully, Weiss didn't mind. She'd always felt so peaceful whenever she was close to her girlfriend. Especially when they cuddled.

"Brute," Weiss said affectionately. "We don't _need_ a bed."

Surprised that her girlfriend went along with it, Yang adorned a smug grin. "Huuuuh, I guess you're right," she murmured. "There's other places we could get… creative."

Weiss shrugged, not at all understanding the insinuations. "Perhaps we could cuddle on a couch."

From her statement, Yang let out a short laugh. She almost forgot how innocent her girlfriend was sometimes. This was the same girl who chugged spiced rum thinking it was some type of tea.

"Cuddle," Yang said with a genuine grin. That wasn't exactly what she was referring to, but cuddling was better than anything in the world. If she could spend the rest of her life cuddling with Weiss, she'd take the opportunity in a heartbeat. "Cuddling's the best."

"Yes, cuddling," Weiss agreed with her own smile. "What'd you think I was referring to?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"Uh… nothin'."

Weiss seemingly accepted the answer as they rounded a corner to a new section of the school. There were a few scattered students in the pod area.

There was also a few people in the distance right next to their lockers. There was a blob of orange, a tall redhead, a blond boy, and a quiet boy with a pink streak in his hair. Next to them was a blob of red and black, who were pointing at the locker they were gathered around. Wherever the red-hooded girl pointed, the blond boy slapped something on the metal.

The blob of red pointed at the couple in the distance. This caused the group to stop like deers in headlights as multiple pairs of eyes landed on them.

"Yaaang!" Ruby yelped. "We're not done yet!"

Hastily, Yang checked the time on her phone. "You guys said you'd be done by now!"

From the sudden shouts, random students stopped conversing and stared.

Irritated, Blake shouted. "We said we'd text you!"

The blonde sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. "Shit."

Weiss crossed her arms, not amused. She gave her girlfriend a suspicious glare. "What's going on?"

"Eheh," Yang attempted a dry laugh. "Nothing, princess! Come on, let's go somewhere else."

Yang grabbed her girlfriend's arm to drag her back to where they came from. However, Weiss easily broke out of her grip.

"I'm going to see what they're doing."

With purpose, Weiss strode to her locker while Yang trailed behind in defeat.

"Ugh," Yang knew there was no point in trying to stop her since she was so stubborn.

Weiss gave her locker a curious stare as her friends backed away a bit. It was decorated with patterns, bright colors, and signs saying things like 'welcome back' and 'glad you're better.' There was even a floating pink balloon provided, courtesy of Nora.

Despite having been found out before they could finish decorating, Pyrrha tried a smile.

"Welcome back!"

With that as her cue, Blake released the rainbow confetti.

The splotches of flakes spewed on Weiss' uniform, leaving her to frown and give Blake a glare. Silently, Weiss wiped herself off as the rainbow pieces drifted to the marble floor.

Without a word, Weiss examined the locker more as her friends waited for some reaction. The decorations on her locker were a little gaudy for her taste. Her locker would definitely draw attention.

People wondered where the pair was the last couple of days, so JNPR made it their mission to welcome them back while also answering the most common questions people had.

Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose. It was a nice gesture, but she didn't like being the center of attention. Her friends did this out of the kindness in their hearts, so she held her tongue.

"Thank you all," Weiss said genuinely, but in a monotone voice. "This is very thoughtful."

Her words were kind, but the tone was a tad annoyed.

Ruby caught that and accusingly pointed at her. "She hates it!"

"Abort, abort!" Nora yelped.

The giddy girl began to rip some of the signs away, but Weiss lowered her arms.

"Don't," Weiss stated. "It can stay for a day."

Yang faced her friends. "That's the best you're gonna get."

"You bunch of dunces," Weiss said happily. "It's a nice gesture. Thank you for thinking of me."

Jaune bashfully rubbed the back of his head. "No problem. We would've visited you, but were told you had Yang and that was enough, so-"

"Who cares?!" Nora interjected. "You guys are back! You have no idea how boooooring it's been. They tried to ease my boredom but they suck."

"Rude," Ren commented.

"Aw," Jaune mumbled. "We tried."

Pyrrha pointed to Nora. "It's hard to keep her distracted. You seem to excel at that."

Yang laughed loudly from that. "I'm glad you realized how useful I am."

Nora placed her hands on her hips. "Don't get cocky."

By that time, students began to pour into the school like cattle.

"You think being here was boring?" Weiss challenged in a teasing tone. "Imagine being stuck in one room for five days."

Ren gazed at Nora, who was trying hard to contemplate the thought. "She'd go crazy."

Jokingly, Nora tugged on her short hair. "I don't even want to think about it."

Idle chatter around them was steadily increasing. Random students who passed by stared at the colorful locker with smiles and questioning looks.

Weiss gazed at the neon balloon that was taped to the metal door. "Who wants it? It's the one thing not staying today."

Pyrrha held her chin in thought. "Someone may take it if it stays here."

Without warning, someone who was passing whisked the balloon away by grabbing the white tail.

"I'll take that."

It was a stern, playful voice as a blonde professor strolled down the hall with the other students like nothing happened. The pink balloon trailed behind her and reached halfway to the ceiling. Only her back was seen.

"Glyn?!" Yang yelped.

Silently, Goodwitch joined the crowd of students. However, she didn't vanish due to the blatant neon balloon that followed her.

Pyrrha stared at the professor, wide-eyed. "That takes care of that."

The warning bell rang, which meant that they only had five minutes to get to class.

After saying their goodbyes, the large group split. Team RWBY walked into professor Port's class. The moment the freezerburn couple appeared, Port visibly stiffened.

"Ms. Schnee, Ms. Xiao Long, g-good to have you back."

Yang just gazed at her professor from his blatant unease. "Professor, we left our weapons in our lockers."

That earned a light nudge in her side from her girlfriend.

Ruby fake coughed. "What my sister means to say is that your mustache is looking great today! Are you using a new gel?"

Yang went along with it. "Whatever it is, it's looking shiny."

"Oho!" Port huffed, taken aback from the compliment. "It's old spice," he informed, curling his fingers around his stiff mustache. "I like it, too!"

Blake nodded, trying not to show that she was internally laughing. "Good to hear. We're taking our seats now."

With that as their cue, team RWBY sat in the middle of the large lecture hall. Strangely, Yang noticed that her girlfriend looked like she'd seen a ghost.

"What's up, princess?"

Weiss kept looking straight ahead as her eyes were the size of dinner plates. "That's the kind Jacques used…"

"No way."

Ruby leaned over. "What way?"

"Apparently Port uses the same stache cream as the asshole," Yang said with amusement. She trailed her fingers over her lips and around, down to her chin. "Is it some code among dudes with staches?"

Blake sent Weiss a smug grin. "You should ask Klein if he uses the same one. If he does, there's some conspiracy going on."

Multiple giggles.

When the faint laughter died down, the bell rang again. As usual, Port began his tales of bravery. Everything was back to normal and to the way it was before. Students took notes, Ruby was daydreaming, Blake was half-paying attention as she fiddled with Ruby's hand under the desk, Weiss was taking notes, and Yang was totally zoning out.

It was like this for forty-five minutes.

At last, class was dismissed. Since the team had a free period between classes, they resided in the teacher's lounge.

As expected, Ozpin was sitting on the sofa drinking his mug.

What was unexpected was Glynda Goodwitch sucking in the balloon's air. From the team's arrival, Goodwitch hastily hid the balloon behind her back and gave them a forced smile.

"Hey Glyn," Yang greeted with a mischievous tone. "Hey, Oz."

"Hello team," Ozpin greeted. "It's nice to see you well, Weiss."

Weiss placed her hand over her heart. "Thank you for placing the seal."

"It was no problem," Ozpin assured sincerely. "If the curse acts up, tell me. It shouldn't anytime soon, but just in case. Don't dismiss the smallest signs."

"I won't," the priestess stated firmly. "Now that I know it's a curse, I'll keep you updated."

"That would be appreciated," Ozpin gave her a firm nod.

There was a squeak that resonated from Glynda. Like she was gripping the balloon in her grasp too hard. It was obviously an accident as Goodwitch tried to adjust herself.

Curious, Ruby asked the blonde professor. "What're you doing?"

With overflowing confidence, Yang strutted directly up to Goodwitch. "Why don't you… oh, I don't know. Talk to us?"

Knowing exactly what happened beforehand, Blake covered her mouth to stifle the inevitable chuckles.

From the challenge, Goodwitch remained silent and clutched the balloon behind her. Yang had never seen her scowl so hard.

Egging her on, Ozpin set the mug in his lap. "Yes, Glyn. Talk to us."

"Shut up."

The two words slipped out of Goodwitch's mouth and she covered it right after. Her voice was extremely high-pitched. So high that she could be drifting with the clouds.

Normally, her voice was stern and unyielding. To hear it reduced to a two-year old little girl's was amusing to say the least.

Instantly, team RWBY erupted into giggles. Ozpin snickered a bit as well. From their reactions, Goodwitch's cheeks flushed. The room was filled with bubbles as the giddy laughter echoed. It could've been loud enough for the entire school to hear.

Yang fake wiped a tear and playfully slapped Glynda on the back. "Oh man. We needed that."

With a wave of her hand, Goodwitch replied. "Yeah, yeah, get it out of your system."

From that, the team cackled again. This time, possibly louder than the first. They laughed so hard that their sides hurt. Ruby even snorted a few times. Blake almost fell to her knees from giggling so much and held onto Ruby for support.

It was official. Glynda felt like a laughing stock. Giving up, Glynda sighed. Even the slight exhale sounded like a squeal.

Amused, Weiss faced the ladybug pair. "It was filled with helium?!"

After Ruby calmed down, she replied. "Duh," she said knowingly. "Those are the best kinds of balloons!"

Finding this amusing, Glynda showed the team what she did with the pink balloon. There was a set of eyes and a wide grin with a tongue sticking out. The hair looked like wild spaghetti noodles. It was drawn in black sharpie. A two-year-old could've drawn it, but nope. A professor drew it.

"I named it Yang," Glynda announced with her squeaky voice.

From the revelation, Weiss giggled some more. "It looks just like her."

Yang scoffed. "What?! That looks nothin' like me!"

"What're you talking about?" Ruby nodded in agreement. "She nailed the hair."

"And the tongue," Blake inspected the balloon like it was a masterpiece. "Everything except the eyes. The eyes look innocent. Too innocent."

Ozpin joined the group. After he sipped his coffee, he pointed in the center. "It's missing a nose."

"Oops," Glynda said, which elicited more snickers. Carefully, she drew the letter 'b' without connecting it and proudly closed the sharpie.

Proudly, Blake placed a hand on her professor's shoulder. "Ms. Goodwitch. You nailed it."

Multiple laughs. Yang crossed her arms.

"This isn't…" the blonde paused for dramatic effect, which caused her girlfriend to groan. " _Blowing me away_."

That made the laughter die out.

"Aw come on!" Yang yelped. "Don't give me that!"

"Laughter?" Blake smirked. "We're not."

That caused them to crack up again.

* * *

 **My friends and I did that to our lockers when we were in high school for our birthdays. The balloons were a nice touch, but they'd be taken and popped before the day ended.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	59. Heartfelt Exchange

**I'm moving to Austin, TX in November! If anyone lives there, hmu. I'd love to meet new people!**

* * *

"No, that's the hyoid."

"Ugh!" Yang huffed for the millionth time as she tugged her hair in frustration. "I miss class for two days and you already learned everything about the stupid skull."

Blake's cat ears leaned back as she listened to her friend's irritation. They'd been making great progress on the assignment, but it was hard to grasp the concept.

They'd been studying in the library for about an hour. Not very many other students were around. To get some privacy, Blake and Yang picked a table that was surrounded by bookshelves.

Not far away was Ruby and Weiss. This way, the freezerburn pair didn't work together. They had a knack for distracting each other, so this was to prevent that to get their missing assignments done.

Weiss was doing just fine, asking Ruby questions here and there. Ruby used her own homework as a guide to help complete her friend's. Her homework was corrected a tiny bit by Goodwitch, so she'd know Weiss would get a hundred on the assignment.

Glynda would probably go easy on them, too. Considering what happened.

Weiss was having a simple enough time, using the diagrams in the textbook as a guide.

But Yang was struggling a bit.

"It's a little difficult since you were gone," Blake reasoned. "Goodwitch has sets of bones we can borrow if that'd make learning easier for you. You're a visual learner, right?"

"Yeah," Yang stated, having taken a test at a young age to determine that. "Diagrams on paper is one thing, but real life is different."

"So true," Blake agreed.

Yang dipped her head as she glared at the labels of the skull on the paper. Stupid homework. Stupid subject. Not only did she have to memorize the bones of the skull, she had to know the cranial structures, features, and landmarks in a few days time. Then it was time for the test.

Since Yang had a brainiac of a girlfriend, she felt like she couldn't let her down.

Blake had an epiphany. "Goodwitch said that the test will display the bones and that there'll be stations for it, so learning from the real deal would be the best. It'd definitely help me, too."

"Alright, so you wanna go in sometime?" Yang questioned.

Glynda had flexible open hours for students to visit her. She always went out of her way to make sure students felt confident about the answers.

"I don't see why not," Blake shrugged. "Do you know when Goodwitch is available?"

If anyone knew when Glynda was free, it was Yang.

"Oh, Blakey, Blakey, Blakey…" Yang gave her a small huff as she crossed her arms. "Just tell me where the bones are and I'll handle the rest."

Blake sent her a deadpan expression. "You're not stealing them."

"Stealing's such a barbaric word," Yang said with a smug grin. "I'm gonna _borrow_ them. She'll get them back."

"Or," the faunus droned. "You could ask for permission and avoid another tongue lashing."

"Where's the fun in that?" with a smirk, Yang leaned in and whispered. "Are you in or nah?"

"You're such a bad influence on me," Blake crossed her arms in annoyance. Despite herself, she sent her own smirk back. "Of course I'm in. But if we get in trouble I'm throwing you under the bus."

Yang nodded in understanding. Since it was her idea, she'd take the blame if they'd get caught. It's not like Glynda would give her a harsh punishment, anyways. "I'll take my chances."

Since Ruby and Weiss weren't too far away, they picked up bits of their conversation.

Weiss gave them a suspicious look. "What are you two conspiring now?"

"Conspiring?" Yang repeated in disbelief. "We're just talking about how beautiful you are."

Instantly, Weiss' cheeks heated up as she shyly glanced away, mumbling "brute," under her breath.

The faunus shook her head. "Every chance you get."

"Yep," Yang said, popping the 'p.'

"Yaaaang," Ruby called softly, not wanting to be too loud in a library. "Am I pwetty, too?"

Without trying, Ruby gave her sister the best puppy dog eyes she could muster. Those silver eyes sparkled in a plea. Almost like she was a puppy begging for food. No one could say "no" to that. Not even the most heartless of monsters.

Yang almost forgot that Ruby had mastered the art of adorableness.

Blake sent her a genuine smile. "Everyone knows my rose is gorgeous."

"Hehe, thanks, Blake," Ruby chirped, blushing from the compliment. A sentence as simple and meaningful as that caused her heart to flutter. "What about you, Yang? Are you immune to this cute wittle face yet?"

Even after all these years, Yang still melted from the sight. "I could never be even if I tried. You're cuter than Zwei sometimes, Rubes."

That grabbed Weiss' attention. "You take that back!"

"You can't deny the truth, princess."

In a challenge, Ruby faced her white-haired friend with those twinkling silver eyes. For a moment, the priestess was trapped in them. Ruby's skill was comparable to her own mastered poker face.

"Dunce."

"Aha!" Ruby pointed at her accusingly. "Your face softened for just a sec, but I saw it!"

"Quiet you. This is a library."

"Kay, mom," Ruby replied jokingly.

After a long exhale, Yang leaned back in her chair with her hands behind her head. "I'm beat."

Blake glanced at the clock on the wall, finding that it was later than she intended. "It's been an hour and a half. I think we're good for today. You'll be caught up in no time."

"Awesome," Yang replied in satisfaction, taking a mental note to study later. "Thanks for helping us out."

The faunus closed the intimidatingly thick textbook and slid it in her backpack. "We'd get an earful from Dad if you failed the next test."

Yang lightly chuckled from that. "Yeah, probably."

Blake faced the priestess. "Did you get a lot done?"

"More than anticipated," Weiss said, glad she made a lot of progress. "Ruby was a great help. Thank you, dunce."

"You're welcome, Weissy!" Ruby chirped happily. "Text me if you have any questions."

"Noted."

With that, the group packed up and left the library. Before they could leave the school, the freezerburn couple halted, which caused the ladybug pair to give them confused looks.

"I'll catch up with ya later," Yang said as she wrapped an arm around the shorter girl's shoulders. "We have a date."

With a blush, Weiss wrapped an arm around her girlfriend's waist.

"Aw, cute," Ruby cooed. "Be back before dinner."

Blake smirked from the lovey-dovey sight. "No promises that we'll leave some snacks for you."

"Eat 'em all for me."

The ladybug pair walked home while holding hands. When they were a decent distance away, Yang eagerly faced her girlfriend.

"You ready for a day of fun?"

"After everything that's happened?" Weiss asked, which earned a nod. "More than ready."

Briefly, the two shared a kiss before heading out.

* * *

Since it was getting chilly outside, the couple brought their respective yellow and blue jackets to wear over their school uniforms.

Most of the afternoon was spent just enjoying each other's company. There was no clear destination. Lots of shops were open, so the freezerburn pair checked out various shops to browse.

A few people were bustling around the city of Vale. Thankfully, it wasn't busy.

The couple only left each other's sides a few times, not wanting to separate for too long.

Spotting something on the top shelf, Yang easily snatched the object. In amusement, she put it over her face before her girlfriend noticed.

After examining articles of clothing, Weiss whirled around to ask her girlfriend for her opinion-

"What're you…"

From the sight, Weiss lightly giggled. Of course Yang found a lion mask.

"Rawr," Yang said jokingly.

Weiss inspected the mask with her mouth agape in awe. To exaggerate the appearance, Weiss got on her tiptoes to brush her fingers through the blonde mane. This caused Yang to blush under the mask as her hair sprawled out wildly.

"It suits you surprisingly well," Weiss said, gazing at her girlfriend in wonder.

Yang sassily flipped her mane. "It's all in the hair."

"And the personality."

"You think?" Yang asked.

"Yes," Weiss stated with a smile. "The lion suits you."

"King of the jungle?" Yang said in satisfaction. "I'll take it."

"Queen of the jungle," Weiss corrected.

"Even better."

After having her fun, Yang put the mask back in its respective spot. When she faced her girlfriend again, she got an idea. "Are you hungry?"

"A little," Weiss admitted. "Do you have someplace in mind?"

"I know the absolute perfect place," Yang beamed as she held out her hand. "It's nearby, too."

Weiss happily accepted the gesture. "Where to?"

"It's a surprise!"

From the sudden frosty touch, the blonde almost recoiled. Despite that, she smiled.

The couple held hands as Yang led the way outside. There was a calm breeze that caused them to shiver. Yang was right, it took about three minutes to arrive at the food establishment.

Before they entered, Weiss stared at the red building. Smack dab in the center were four letters in silver:

 **I Feel Like Crêpe**

From the name, Weiss couldn't help but genuinely smile. "Of course you know a place that's a pun."

"Did you expect anything else?" Yang smirked.

"I can't say that I did."

Yang stuck out her tongue and sent her a wink. "I know you don't like sweets that much, but you gotta give this one recipe a try. If you don't like it we can throw it out."

"Such a waste, but I'll try it."

"It won't be a waste. I _know_ you'll love it. At least the one I have in mind."

Together, the two walked in the humble shop. The warm air wafted their faces. The aroma was of mixed fruits and melted chocolate. Since it was a school week, there weren't many people around. Only two people that were enjoying their snacks together at a small table.

Yang approached the cashier with her boisterous voice.

"One mango crepe please!"

The polite male cashier nodded. "Comin' right up."

After, Yang handed him a few lien, which made Weiss protest.

"No-"

"The date was my idea," Yang stated, having already thought about this. "Since it was my idea, I pay, princess."

Weiss understood that. That was usually the golden rule. "I'm paying next time."

"Deal," Yang agreed, thinking that was the only way to appease her.

The couple stood to the side and waited, watching how the workers created the crepe from scratch.

"It's mango flavored?" Weiss asked to clarify, curious.

"Yeah!" Yang beamed. "Your favorite fruit is mangos, right?" that earned a nod. "It's yummy and isn't too sweet," she added, knowing her girlfriend wasn't very fond of sweets. "It's the perfect combination if you ask me."

Weiss always knew that Yang was considerate. Especially when it came to her, but this was downright sweet and wonderfully sincere. It caused her heart to flutter.

"That's very thoughtful of you, Yang," Weiss smiled, grateful she had such a nice girlfriend.

"Only when it comes to you~"

Not wanting to be away from her any longer, Weiss wrapped an arm around Yang's own. From the small, but lovable contact, Yang's cheeks reddened.

It didn't take long for the treat to be created. When the crepe was complete, the worker slid the paper plate over to the pair. It was like a very large omelet and covered the whole plate. The yellow mangos were steaming and warmed the surface. The anise syrup that coated the fruit was white. The yellow and white combination melted together perfectly.

Two plastic forks were placed to the side.

"Oh yeah…" Weiss mumbled. "You only ordered one."

Yang adorned a smug grin. "It's big enough for us to share!"

"W-what?"

"Aw, you got all flustered," Yang cooed with a sincere smile. "I thought it'd be cute. We don't have to share-"

"We can," Weiss reassured a little quicker than she'd intended, unable to fight another blush.

"Alright!" Yang cheered.

Together, the two found a small table in the corner of the shop. Each sat in the two chairs as the snack rested in the middle.

Wanting to tease her more, Yang broke off a small piece and lifted her fork directly in front of her girlfriend. "Open wide, princess~"

"Yang," Weiss harshly whispered. "We're in public."

She was never one to be lovey-dovey. At least not in public.

"Come ooooon," Yang drawled. "No one cares. Promise."

To make sure, Weiss looked around. The couple that was in here before were in their own world. The staff was busy with other things like cleaning the area. No one was paying attention to the freezerburn pair.

"Fine."

Knowing she won, Yang said jokingly. "Here comes the plane."

Weiss fought the urge to smile from how goofy Yang was acting and opened her mouth. When the warm food was near, she bit down. And was pleasantly surprised.

White eyebrows rose from the flavor, causing Yang's grin to broaden. Yang was right. The combination didn't make the delicious crepe too sweet. With the mango included, she loved it.

"Eh?" Yang asked.

After Weiss swallowed, she smiled. "It's really good."

"Right?" Yang happily chewed a piece with her own fork.

Weiss lifted her fork and nudged it in Yang's direction. "Y-you have to do the same."

"If you insist," Yang giggled from how flustered she was and willingly opened wide. "Ah-mph."

When she closed her mouth, Weiss pulled away.

"It'sh delish," Yang stated as she munched greedily.

"Brute," Weiss said fondly. "Don't talk with your mouth full."

After Yang gulped, she sent her a smug grin. "I don't give a _crepe_."

A shaky breath. By this point, Weiss wasn't going to entertain a reaction. Instead, she chose to catch her off guard.

"I love you."

If Yang's mouth was full, she would've sputtered the food out from surprise. Not in a bad way. Just from how unexpected that was. Hearing those three meaningful words never got old.

"I know," Yang said softly. "I love you, too."

Somehow, Yang's sunny smile got wider and lit up the entire building.

In the lighthearted atmosphere, the freezerburn pair finished the delectable snack with satisfied stomachs.

There was a brief silence. It looked like Yang was debating if she should say what was on her mind or not. This caused Weiss to give her her unyielding attention.

"Look, uh," Yang paused, figuring out what she wanted to say. Weiss leaned in, fully alert. "I don't know if this'd be weird, so I'm just gonna say it."

"Yang," Weiss started knowingly. "I've heard you say many things. What you have to say now after everything we've been through won't deter me."

Yang paused as she stared briefly out the window. "I've said a lot of weird things, huh?"

"Maybe a few here and there."

Since her girlfriend was joking about it, that eased Yang's nerves. "I got you something."

"Pardon?"

To show her, Yang set her purse on her lap and unzipped it. She didn't pull out what was inside.

"For what?" Weiss asked.

"Because you're better," Yang said knowingly. "And when I saw it, I immediately thought of you. I couldn't walk away from it without getting it for you."

From the revelation, Weiss burst into soft giggles. She had to cover her mouth to muffle them. She'd never been so amused in her entire life. This caused Yang to send her a confused expression.

"What's so funny?"

When Weiss composed herself, she said. "I got you something, too."

"No way."

A nod.

"But why?!" Yang asked.

"I saw it and it reminded me of you."

"What?!"

"It's in my purse, too," Weiss revealed as she yanked up her purse and unzipped it.

Yang set her hands under her chin. "Sometimes I think we're too perfect for each other."

Weiss smiled from that as she fiddled with her purse. "Want to show each other on three?"

"One," Yang counted.

"Two," Weiss stated.

"Three," they said in unison.

Together, they yanked the gifts out and presented them to each other.

In Yang's hands was a pair of light blue mittens. In Weiss' grasp was an orange scarf. Their jaws dropped as they exchanged the items to each other.

"Since your hands are always cold," Yang mentioned. "That doesn't bother me at all, by the way. It's getting colder every day, so…"

"I love it," Weiss commented as she gazed fondly at them. She slipped them on with a smile. Inside, they were furry and fuzzy. Her hands were already absorbing some much-needed heat.

Yang draped the orange scarf around her neck. "How do I look?"

"Like a goddess," Weiss casually remarked, causing Yang to blush. "The orange color reminded me of your flames. Especially with your hair being blonde and all. They always make me feel safe and secure."

Lovingly, Yang held her girlfriend's hand on top of the table.

"I'm never taking it off," the blonde said.

"Not even for a shower?" Weiss teased.

"I'll figure somethin' out," Yang winked.

Since it was quiet and they were the only two left, Weiss asked.

"Ready to go?"

"You betcha."

To get to the city, the freezerburn pair rode on Yang's motorcycle. The walk was short to reach Bumblebee and they hopped on after adjusting their helmets. Weiss wasn't comfortable riding on Wanda, but Bumblebee was a different story.

Tightly, Weiss wrapped her arms around her girlfriend. Her new mittens hugged her stomach.

" _Yang_ on," the blonde said casually.

"That's getting old really fast."

"You might wanna get used to it."

With that, the two sped off with the engine roaring throughout the city. The orange scarf around Yang's neck flipped in the wind, and Weiss had to rest her head on it to stop it from whipping her face.

The ride wasn't long and was peaceful. When they reached Weiss' place, Yang walked her up the stairs to right outside the door labeled eight.

"I had fun, Yang. Thank you, today was really special."

"Well," Yang lightly shrugged. "You're special to me."

"Come here," Weiss coaxed with her arms out.

Lovingly, Weiss draped her arms around the taller girl's shoulders. Yang wrapped her arms around her waist and pulled her close as their lips pressed together.

Their previous kisses were filled with more vigor and full of passion. This one overflowed with affection and adoration for one another. Like nothing could come between them. Like nothing could ever sway their feelings for one another.

There was a certain tenderness to the passionate, sweet contact.

Softly, mittens entangled with blonde tresses. Yang's grip became more firm as their lips moved. The sound of endearment echoed.

After a few blissful seconds, they separated with blushes and smiles.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Weiss said softly, her cheeks red.

"U-uh yeah!" Yang replied, trying to form words. "Text me."

"I will."

After she squeezed her hand, Yang headed down the stairs. Unintentionally, she stumbled a bit and caught herself on the railing. "Woah."

"Careful," Weiss called after her, proud that she could fluster her girlfriend so much that she lost her footing.

When Yang reached her motorcycle, she cupped her hands over her mouth. "Love you!"

Weiss waved at her and yelled back. "Love you, too!"

After that, she fiddled with the doorknob. Yang didn't drive away until she watched her girlfriend walk inside.

The moment Weiss walked in, there was an unexpected guest in front of her. The tall figure adorned a smile similar to her own.

"Winter!"

* * *

 **Didn't even realize that the mango/anise syrup was a white and yellow combo until after I wrote it in. In the wise words of BurningPeace "accidental freezerburn while still being on purpose."**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**

 **P.S. I Feel Like Crêpe was an actual shop. Angelsixtwofive told me it closed down :(**


	60. An Older Version of Weiss?

**This was written on 2/22/18. All my classes were canceled due to weather. This is a truly historic event.**

* * *

"Winter!"

Eager to see her sister, Weiss bolted into her arms and wrapped her in a firm hug. Since Winter didn't expect that to be the first thing he sister would do, she stiffened at first, and eventually returned the embrace.

The eldest sister was too tall to rest her chin atop her little sister's head. Instead, she held her close with a timid smile as she stared ahead at the door.

For a moment, the sisters' hearts beat in unison.

"Hello, my dear sister," Winter murmured fondly.

This was the first time Weiss had seen her in over a year. She hadn't heard from her in a _year_. To hear her voice again caused her smile to grow wider.

Naturally, they didn't want to let go. The sisters stayed like this for several moments.

Klein was nearby, having finished dusting. The moment Winter walked through the door, he watched their interaction with a grin and twinkling brown eyes.

Hesitantly, the sisters slowly pulled away. Winter gazed down at her with a soft smile. She was met with Weiss' own.

"I'm so happy to see you," Weiss said genuinely. Her tone almost wavered like she thought this was a dream. "How did you know I was here? Why are you back? How's the military treating you-"

Winter held up a hand to silence her, which caused her mouth to shut. "I'm sorry I didn't write back for so long. I read all your letters and yet…"

"It's okay, Win," Weiss reassured, glad that she read them. "I know you're very busy. I'm surprised you managed to read them all, much less send a reply. I don't even mind if you don't read them. I send them to let you know I'm thinking of you."

"Still so sweet," unable to help herself, Winter to pulled her in for another hug.

Fondly, Weiss wrapped her arms around her back, feeling the squeeze of Winter's own.

Klein had been watching by the kitchen counter with the widest grin. "You snowflakes have much to talk about."

"Indeed," Winter agreed as she separated.

"Here," Weiss said as she grasped her hand. "Let's go to my room. Sorry, Klein."

"No need for apologies," Klein dismissed, understanding that it was sister time. "Of course you two would like some privacy to discuss matters."

Eagerly, the sisters retreated to Weiss' room. If Winter was unimpressed by the space, she gave no indication that she thought as much. From the looks of it, Winter was intrigued by the meticulously placed hanging seasonal paintings.

"The one with snow is my favorite," Weiss said, noticing that Winter was eyeing that one as well. "It reminds me of you and mom," she paused for a moment. "And the spring one because of all the white lilies."

Winter nodded, understanding that her sister preferred sentimental value over materialistic things. "They're beautiful," she said as she casually sat on the edge of her sister's bed.

Concerned, Weiss asked. "Do you need anything before we talk?"

Winter tried out a smile. The hostess lingering in her had come out. "Klein already gave me water. Sit and tell me everything that's happened in your life this last year. I must know."

Happy that her sister was interested, Weiss sat next next to her. To prepare, she subconsciously folded her hands in her lap. Her blue mittens were still on, so she slid them off and set them to the side.

"Those are cute," Winter observed.

"Thank you," Weiss replied merrily. "My girlfriend got them for me."

"Ah, yes. Yang, was it?" that earned a nod. "The blonde… brute? As you put it?"

The loving nickname earned a tiny giggle. "Yes, that's her."

In her letters, Weiss had referred to Yang several times in different ways. The most common name for her was either brute or her real name.

"Is your relationship going well?" Winter questioned as she leaned in with curiosity. "Your letters started by saying how much she annoyed you on a daily basis. I had my suspicions that your feelings for her grew, so when you said you were in a relationship, I was hardly surprised."

"Wh-what, really?" Weiss stammered in disbelief.

"You made it clear that you were annoyed with Yang most of the time, but you were also very fond of her whether you knew it or not," Winter said knowingly. "I was counting down the days until you got together. It was only a matter of time."

Weiss sighed heavily. "Even my own sister saw it coming… and you weren't even here to see us interact like Ruby and Blake did."

From the comment, Winter wasn't shocked at all to know that other people noticed their feelings for each other. "Sometimes love is blind. I found that rather adorable when I read your letters."

With a slight frown, Weiss stared up at the ceiling. It was official. Everyone but the freezerburn pair knew they had feelings for each other. Even in Weiss' own writing, the hints were there.

Better late than never, she supposed.

"Klein filled me in on a few things," Winter informed. "One of the many things he told me was that Father finally realized that he didn't own you, nor ever will, which led to your disownment."

"Yeah…"

Dearly, Winter set her hand on top of Weiss' own. "I'm proud of you. That was a matter of time as well."

"I think you're right," Weiss said as she mused the past situation. "It was going to happen eventually."

"Precisely," Winter leaned back on the bed with a satisfied smirk. "I wish I saw his face when Yang punched him."

Weiss chuckled from the memory. "It was a sight to behold."

"I bet," Winter could only imagine with a content smile. Her smile warped to a frown when she thought about his purpose for coming there in the first place. "I know father is low, but to learn that he came to your hospital room when you needed support just to disown you… is despicable," there was a hint of fire in those blue eyes. He kicked her down at her most vulnerable moment.

"It's okay, it all turned out perfectly fine," Weiss reassured firmly. "Ruby, Blake, and Yang really helped. And as you know, so did Klein. Immensely, might I add."

"Klein has my deepest gratitude," Winter said softly. "You have great friends, Weiss. Keep them."

"Certainly," Weiss replied knowingly. "They're stuck with me whether they like it or not."

"Good to hear. Listen, if you need any assistance, tell me," Winter mentioned. "The military pays quite well and has a lot of benefits."

"I'll tell you," Weiss stated. "No need to worry about that, Win."

When there was a pregnant pause, Winter glanced around the room.

Like she was about to tell a secret, the elder sister whispered. "How thin are the walls?"

"Klein can't hear us," Weiss murmured, following her sister's lead. "What's bothering you?"

It was obvious Winter was reluctant to bring up the subject. Her lips parted several times as she thought about what she wanted to say.

"How are the demons treating you?" Winter finally asked. "Last you spoke of them, they were pests and bothered you. Made your daily life a struggle. Please tell me they've stopped."

From genuine curiosity, Weiss began to lightly giggle. The laughter was innocent, so pure that Winter's eyebrows rose in wonder. Weiss was so amused from her previous statement that she held her sides.

So much had happened since the 'demons' began to act up. It was laughable that Winter's concern stemmed from the tiny grimm that used to pester her all day.

"What's so funny?" Winter asked, sincere.

When Weiss finally composed herself, she let out a long breath. "They're nothing to worry about. At least not the little ones that were bothering me before."

Still confused, Winter asked. "Pardon?"

The last time Weiss mentioned 'demons' to her sister was back when that little taijitu tripped her at the start of the year. Since then, Weiss had told her nothing about the New World she was introduced to. It was too much information to slap in a little letter.

"Well," Weiss took a deep breath. "First thing's first, the 'demons' are called grimm."

"Grimm?" Winter repeated, which earned a nod. "That sounds awfully ominous. They both do."

Unable to hold her amusement, Weiss huffed. "I have quite the story for you."

"Go ahead," Winter permitted. "I'm listening."

Since Winter already knew about the 'demons,' Weiss saw no harm in telling her sister everything about this new world. The world separate from what the eldest knew.

It was obvious that her older sister was worried. To keep her from worrying, the best course of action was to keep her updated on her life.

Weiss told her how she's a priestess, and that's why she has purification abilities. The grimm were dark entities that needed to be purified, so that was her duty. Purification powers solely existed for her to rid the world of grimm.

Winter looked fascinated by that, so Weiss explained the background.

"Mother was an angel," Weiss stated evenly. "That's what Ozpin told me. That's why I have these powers."

"An angel…" Winter mused. "She was the kindest person I've ever met. I knew there was something about her. She gave the darkest rooms light."

"She was."

Since Willow died when Weiss was very young, she remembered very little about her mother. That was the one thing that stuck with her. Willow was extremely kind and went above and beyond for her children.

"Wait," Winter said as she scrambled her mind for answers. "Wouldn't Whitley and I have purification abilities as well if mother was an angel? Wouldn't the powers be passed down?"

That was the question Weiss had been waiting for.

"Ozpin told me to think of the purification abilities as homozygous recessive alleles in our DNA code. Any dominant alleles would mask that. Because of that, it's rare for recessive angel genes to be passed down. It's normal for the ability to never surface, so I'm just an exception, I guess."

Clearly, her little sister had done her research.

"I see," Winter said, having been educated in multiple genetics classes. "That means Whitley and I are carriers of the gene, yes?"

"It's entirely possible," Weiss somewhat agreed. "Although, Ozpin said that it's not odd for the gene to fade away like it never existed. It's similar to a lot of recessive genes, apparently."

Winter held her chin in thought. "That's fascinating. Tell me more."

Gladly, Weiss continued the story.

Yang entered the picture quickly since she already knew about this New World and introduced her to it. To top it off, Goodwitch and Ozpin also knew about it, who resided in a temple during after school hours.

The whole time, Winter nodded to show that she was paying attention. She asked questions here and there and Weiss didn't spare any details.

"There's even a magical broom that Ms. Goodwitch named Wanda."

"Wanda?" Winter repeated in disbelief. "What an odd name for a broom."

Since her little sister could see grimm and was a priestess, Winter saw no reason to not believe her claim that there was a flying broom involved.

"I know," Weiss agreed. "Our first ride on it was… unpleasant."

Winter rolled her eyes. "You really need to get over your fear of heights."

"Don't count on it."

The sisters shared a laugh before Weiss continued the story.

Before her and Yang realized it, team RWBY was formed. With them, they fought vicious grimm. Either to simply exterminate them or when it was an encounter during their search for the critical relics.

To demonstrate what a relic looked like, Weiss yanked out the locket that was hidden under her uniform.

From the sight of the engraved angel wings, Winter pieced the puzzles together. "She really was an angel. She told us without telling us."

"Yeah," Weiss agreed. "That's how I look at it, too."

"You still wear her locket?" Winter asked in exasperation. She figured by now that Weiss would've locked it away someplace safe.

"Of course," Weiss said knowingly. "This is the only thing I have left of her."

"Your powers," Winter reminded, which earned the tilt of her head. "Your powers are part of her, Weiss. You don't need some item to hold her dear."

"I know," Weiss said softly. "Thank you, Win."

A nod.

With a smile, Weiss activated her aura, this caused the jewelry to unlock. One shard landed on her palm and glowed a white light. Carefully, the priestess showed her sister the treasure they'd worked so hard to gather and protect.

Winter curiously inspected the spectacle. The light was calm, but shined brightly. "This is a relic?"

"Three little pieces of one relic that are fused together," Weiss answered.

"That's what you're risking your life for?" Winter questioned.

That caused Weiss to grasp the shard protectively. "It doesn't look like much, but this is the New World. We've been entrusted with it. It's our duty."

Winter could tell that her sister took her role seriously and sighed. "Alright," she said hesitantly. It was hard for her to accept that her little sister was in danger so frequently.

"They're safe in my locket, or mother's locket," the priestess explained. "It can only be unlocked with my aura, so if something bad wants to crack it open to get the relic, they'd risk breaking the shards within."

In a way, that prevents any evil from grabbing it. However, shattering the shards wasn't much of a big deal. As long as they weren't destroyed and smothered out of existence.

From Winter's confused expression, Weiss went on.

She explained that a half-demon named Cinder was after the relics. Since Ozpin's battle against her was a draw, the pieces scattered and now it's a race against time. Before either group could nab more shards. Lucky for them, team RWBY had gathered three of the five pieces. Another was stolen from the half-demon herself.

"This sounds dangerous," Winter pointed out, worry all over her face. "Even more dangerous than the military."

"Sometimes, it feels like it is," Weiss admitted. "However…"

On cue, she snapped her fingers.

Directly in front of them, a dazzling glyph was formed on the wooden floor. It spun lazily and emitted a sparkle. The sight made Winter recoil in shock and her jaw almost hit the floor. She tried to convince herself that it wasn't there, but her eyes didn't lie.

"What is that?" Winter asked in astonishment. "A sigil?"

"My semblance is glyphs," the priestess said, almost bursting from pride at how her elder sister was reacting. "It helps me fight grimm. Myrtenaster helps, too. The combination is interesting."

"I'd imagine so," Winter breathed. She was blown away from the gorgeous glyph. "Does your team have glyphs as well?"

"No," Weiss stated. "Ruby has speed and she uses a sniper rifle, Blake can make clones of herself and uses a katana, and Yang deals double damage payback with her brass knuckles."

Seeing the glyph was all Winter needed to convince her that this was all the truth. She had no reason to doubt her beloved sister.

"Goodness," Winter said, in deep thought. "Teenagers with weapons and semblances. That's normal for you?"

Weiss simply shrugged. "It's been our normal. For a while now."

"What you're saying is that semblances are like superpowers?" Winter wanted to clarify.

"That's one way of looking at it," Weiss conceded. "We only use semblances to fight grimm and make that easier. Our weapons alone sometimes don't cut it. It depends on how powerful the grimm is. Sometimes semblances are required."

"I trust you look out for each other?" Winter asked hopefully.

"Naturally," Weiss stated firmly. "What did Klein tell you about my hospital stay?"

"That you had a high fever," Winter mentioned and jokingly placed the back of her hand on her sister's forehead. "You don't have one anymore."

"That's why I was discharged," Weiss replied teasingly.

"I'm sorry I didn't visit," Winter said regretfully. "My hands were tied."

"It's okay. I had all the support I needed," Weiss gave her a small smile. "However, I wasn't just sick."

That earned a confused expression.

"Cinder cursed me," the priestess said.

"Pardon?"

Slowly, Weiss placed a hand over her heart.

"The half-demon cursed me, a priestess. If something were to happen to me, I wanted you to know the reason."

"Don't say such things," Winter said almost defensively. Her little sister was still just a teenager. She shouldn't be concerned with things like death. "Can Ozpin do something about this?"

"He has," Weiss confirmed with a sad smile. "He placed a seal to keep the symptoms at bay. However, the curse is still there. It won't go away until the caster is killed."

Winter placed a hand on her back, her face full of concern. "You said this woman placed it?"

"Don't go after her," Weiss shot that thought down. "She's no ordinary woman. She's a demon. A demon who killed our mother," her voice wavered halfway through.

Winter wasn't sure where that was coming from, but she believed her sister wholeheartedly. Weiss was the only one there who witnessed Willow's death.

"She took away our mother and now she's harmed you?"

A nod.

Icy blue eyes narrowed as Winter clenched her fists tightly. "I'm going to kill this demon," she seethed with conviction, loathing in her tone.

"You might want to consult with Yang about that," Weiss mentioned, amusement present. "I've never seen her so infuriated when she found out the curse was Cinder's doing. At least until she met Jacques."

From using his first name, Winter was taken aback. Then again, he wasn't her father anymore, so it suited their relationship.

"If there's anything I can do to help, tell me," Winter almost pleaded. "I have plenty of resources."

"Thank you, Win," Weiss said fondly. "I'll remember that."

Naturally, the sisters hugged and held each other close.

After that, Winter hesitantly stood. "Is that the full picture?"

Weiss joined her. "That's about it."

Winter playfully rolled her eyes from her phrasing. Like it wasn't a life-altering experience.

Naturally, Weiss couldn't tell her every single detail that'd happened. That was unrealistic. As long as Winter had a grasp on the full concept, that was enough.

"Keep me updated," Winter said as she headed for the door.

Together, the sisters walked out of the room.

To Weiss' surprise, Winter was heading for the exit.

"You're leaving already?" Weiss asked, skeptical.

The clock on the wall displayed that it was later in the evening. It'd been over an hour since they sat down to talk.

"I'm sorry, sister," Winter sensed that she was sad and pat her once on the head. "I'm here for my job. I must return to my quarters before protocol. You understand, yes?"

"I do," Weiss wished that her sister could stay, but she had a job to do. "Take care."

"You as well, sister. I love you."

Any faint sadness Weiss might've had washed away when she listened to those words.

"I love you, too."

* * *

"Aw, I want to meet her!"

From the thought of meeting her girlfriend's older sister, Yang was beaming. If there was one thing Yang knew about Weiss, it's that she holds her dear.

"Maybe you can," Weiss said doubtfully. "Winter is here on business, so she doesn't have much time to see me. Much less meet my wonderful girlfriend."

The sounds of random students' chatters echoed in the halls. The slamming of locker doors rang out as people bustled by.

Yang just shrugged with confidence. "Guess I'll have to get lucky for her to squeeze me in."

Nothing would make Weiss happier than for her older sister to meet her girlfriend. But on how busy Winter was recently, that wouldn't happen any time soon.

Still, the freezerburn pair were happily together with no end in sight. Yang would meet Winter eventually.

After Blake shut her locker, she smirked as she adjusted the strap of her backpack. "An older version of Weiss? Sounds terrifying."

"Hey!"

"Oh, I've been wanting to bring something," the cat faunus leaned in like she was about to tell a secret. "What're we doing for Ruby's birthday?"

"That's right," Weiss mused. "It's coming up. Halloween is her favorite holiday for a reason."

Stickers of pumpkins and bats decorated the bland walls in preparation for the holiday.

Yang adorned the widest grin. "Let's surprise her!"

Blake nodded, already loving the idea. "A surprise party. Let's do it."

"Yes!" Yang cheered in a murmur. "She's gonna love it."

"Let's start planning soon," Weiss suggested.

Before anyone could say anything else, Ruby approached the group from behind.

"Hey guys! What're you all whiserpy about?"

"Uh," Yang mumbled with her mouth hanging open. "About how cute the beowolf cubs are!"

"Yeah!" Weiss went along with it. "They're so fluffy and adorable."

Ruby melted from the thought of seeing one again. "They are, aren't they?"

Lovingly, Blake cupped her cheek. "They're not as cute as you."

"Oh pft," Ruby waved her off with a blush. "No need to lie. My puppy dog eyes can't compete."

Quickly, Blake pecked her cheek.

As Ruby drifted off in her own world about how her girlfriend was the best, the three shared relieved gazes.

* * *

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	61. Ruby and Yang Yes

After school, the halls were vacant.

It was dead silent.

The walls were decorated with stickers of pumpkins and bats. A few orange and black streamers dangled from the ceiling in the pod area, but were ripped away to half their original length.

It'd been a long day.

And now was the time.

The only two people in the area were blobs of black and yellow.

Like a ninja, Blake crouched behind a locker and peaked over to scan the halls. Her partner peeped over her with lilac eyes narrowed. Her long blonde tresses dangled above Blake's ears, causing them to tickle.

"See anyone?" Yang asked.

"No."

There could be no witnesses, or there'd be consequences.

Since it was clear, Blake somersaulted in the middle of the empty zone. This left her vulnerable, so she slipped behind several more lockers while she headed to one specific classroom.

Yang stayed behind, following her every step of the way. Although her movements weren't as intricate. While the faunus performed commending acrobatic maneuvers, Yang watched her friend with a smug smile.

Stifling a chuckle, Yang crouched low and leaned on a locker. The metal was cold on her skin.

With a plan, the blonde yanked out her phone from her skirt pocket and clicked. The Mission Impossible theme song began to play loudly. So loudly that Blake visibly flinched and almost jumped from surprise like a cat. If she had fur all over her body, Yang was positive it would be sticking straight up.

Blake's cat ears flickered wildly and she halted in her tracks. In anger, the faunus whirled around and glared at her grinning teammate.

"Yang!" Blake hissed.

"Aw, come on, Blakey. Loosen up," Yang scooted over to her while crouching, making sure to use the lockers as cover. "I'm just tryin' to set the mood."

"Turn it off!" Blake harshly whispered over the incessant music.

Yang lightly huffed. "You're no fun," from that, she paused the song and stuffed her phone back in her pocket.

Like they were soldiers, Blake scanned the halls for any potential threats. She treated it as though a grenade might roll their way any second. The alert faunus looked both ways and waved her hand behind her, signaling Yang to follow.

Together, the two dove out of their hiding spot and appeared in plain view in the hall.

Swiftly, Blake leered inside the targeted room. The lights were off, but she was able to see due to her night vision. Jackpot. It was totally empty. The teacher was nowhere in sight.

Curious, Yang whispered. "Is Goodbitch in there?"

"No," Blake reported. "Come on."

Confidently, the faunus reached for the doorknob and twisted.

Only for it to not budge.

"Dammit," Yang cursed. "It's locked?"

Luckily, Blake saw this coming.

Without a word, the faunus lifted her foot and slid her hand down her black boot. Yang watched her with confusion, intrigued to realize that her friend retrieved a small plastic card. It appeared to be a coupon to some restaurant.

Meticulously, Blake wedged the thin card in between the lock and door. It took a few shakes and wiggles, and eventually, the door propped open. The resounding click caused Yang to grin widely.

In victory, Blake smirked.

"Alright!" Yang cheered in a murmur. "You really can pick any lock."

"Too easy," Blake slipped the card back in her boot.

Together, the pair headed inside to complete their mission.

* * *

On the other side of the school was Ruby and Weiss.

They'd just finished homework in the library, so now they were roaming the halls in boredom. Apparently, Blake and Yang had to take care of something before they could go home and told them to wait.

With Ruby's help, Weiss was able to catch up on her missed assignments. She wondered how her girlfriend was fairing; if she was understanding the material just as well. She trusted Blake would catch her up to speed. Weiss would help her, but her girlfriend had a way of distracting her.

Ruby was grinning the whole time, happy to be in the Halloween spirit. The decorated atmosphere only served to make her giddier.

"Dunce," Weiss said fondly when noticed how chipper she was.

Joyfully, Ruby shook her friend's shoulders. "I'm so excited! Aren't you?!"

"For sweets?" Weiss asked with a frown. "No."

"Weeeeeiss," Ruby drawled. "Halloween's also my birthday!"

"Hm," Weiss hummed casually. "I almost forgot."

When Ruby pouted from that line, Weiss sent her a knowing wink.

Happily, Ruby draped her arms over the shorter girl's shoulders. "I knew you weren't that heartless!"

"H-hey! Get off me you dolt!"

When Weiss gently pushed her away, Ruby didn't protest and continued to walk down the hall with a skip in her step. When the duo walked by a certain classroom, Ruby to stopped in her tracks.

Like she was at a zoo gazing at exotic animals, she rushed up to the door, her hands pressed firmly against it. Eager, she glared through the glass and looked inside.

"What're you doing, dolt?" Weiss asked, unamused.

Silver eyes twinkled in delight as Ruby's grin widened. "Let's go in."

"Why?" Weiss didn't sound opposed, just curious as to why she'd want to.

It was just another classroom. To make matters worse, it was professor Port's classroom.

"I have to confirm something," Ruby said as she twisted the knob. "Huh? It's not locked?"

Normally, teachers locked their doors when school ended. Either Port forgot or he didn't care and assumed no one would venture inside. He apparently didn't know his students as well as he thought he did.

Weiss playfully rolled her eyes. "Careless."

Together, the pair walked in and turned on the lights. While Weiss did that, Ruby bolted over to professor Port's broad wooden desk that was in the corner of the room. A desktop rested on the surface, but Ruby was looking for something else.

"Ruby!" Weiss chided. "Don't go behind there. That's an invasion of privacy."

Ignoring her teammate's words, Ruby pointed accusingly under the professor's desk. "I knew it!"

Interested, Weiss questioned. "Knew what?"

Ruby waved her over with a proud smile. "Come look."

After a sigh, Weiss mumbled. "Why am I joining your antics?"

"You know you wanna see," Ruby teased knowingly.

Reluctantly, Weiss joined her friend and saw what she was pointing at.

"A refrigerator?"

That was odd, to say the least. The mini-fridge was cleverly hidden from students and out of sight. While Port taught, no one would suspect that he had an appliance under his desk that was shielded from view.

"Yep!" Ruby beamed. "Sometimes he has food on his desk that wasn't in the teacher's lounge fridge."

There were so many things from that statement that it caused Weiss to pinch the bridge of her nose.

"Why're you snooping in the fridge in the teacher's lounge? That's not your food."

Ruby shrugged, not sure herself. "I don't eat it. I just like to see what people bring. This one time, Oobleck brought lobster. I'm pretty sure it was still alive."

That caused a shiver to go down Weiss' spine. She thought about what it'd be like if that thing escaped and wreaked havoc on the school. Much like the small grimm did on occasion.

"That's disgusting," the priestess shuddered.

"Yeah," Ruby agreed and squatted to get at level with the hidden fridge.

"Ruby, don't open it."

That was like asking a kid not to open a jar of cookies.

Despite Weiss' words, Ruby yanked open the door. A blast of cold air hit them as Ruby's eyes twinkled in delight. There was a large piece of sugary deliciousness on a paper plate begging to be eaten.

Coldness coated the yellow cake. It even had some rainbow sprinkles on top.

"Ruby," Weiss began slowly. "No."

Ruby's mouth was beginning to drool as the sweetness lingered in her nose.

"Ruby yes," Ruby replied.

Before Weiss could even react, Ruby grabbed the piece of ice cream cake with her bare hands and shoved it in her mouth in one go.

From the sudden action, Weiss' jaw dropped in disbelief. It was so quick Ruby was like a vacuum. No wonder why Taiyang compared his daughters to it.

"Ruby!" Weiss yelped. "Put it back!"

It was like she was chiding for a dog to 'drop it.'

It was too late.

The ice cream dribbled down Ruby's mouth as she chewed the cake greedily. She would've replied, but she had a mouthful of delectable sweetness and was too busy savoring it to mind her friend's chidings.

"You can't just take someone's food!" Weiss scolded, still exasperated that Ruby would do something so utterly ridiculous on a whim. Normally, she thought about her actions and pondered the consequences. It was like she had no control of herself. "Port's going to find out!"

After Ruby hardly swallowed, she pounded her chest a few times. "Brain freeze! Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!"

"What'd you expect?!"

The priestess didn't spare her any sympathy and internally began to think of excuses should the professor indelibly notice.

Ruby's tongue was hanging out as she panted to ebb away the pain. Her throat almost burned and was turning numb, but the sweetness remained. She wished she could've controlled herself, but cake was her weakness. Especially ice cream cake.

Worth it.

"We have to get out of here," Weiss stated as she grabbed Ruby's red hood.

Weiss literally dragged her out of the room before someone could witness the crime scene.

* * *

"Yang!" Blake called. "Hurry up."

"I'm hurrying, I'm hurrying!"

Blake kept watch out the classroom door, searching for any potential threats that may catch them.

Meanwhile, Yang rummaged around in Goodwitch's classroom closet. A lot of the items she found so far were very random. Like a few coloring books that were half-filled. Other things were normal school supplies like back up kleenexes.

It took a little digging, but Yang finally found what she was looking for. Underneath a pile of marked up whiteboards was a set of fake bones in a plastic bag. Jackpot. Just what they needed to pass the next test.

"Found 'em!" Yang chirped victoriously.

"Nice," Blake mumbled under her breath.

Triumphantly, Yang shoved the bulky bag in her yellow backpack. She had trouble zipping it, but managed to yank it closed. She swung her backpack around her back and was about to head out, but an object that was propped against the wall caught her attention.

A broom.

This could be another normal broom.

Or it could be Wanda.

Glynda _would_ keep Wanda in here in case of an emergency. Just like how team RWBY stashed their weapons in the lockers. However, Yang was certain that Goodwitch took her broom wherever she went.

Dying to find out, Yang grabbed the brown stick and hovered it close to her mouth.

"Wanda," Yang whispered. "Extend."

Like magic, the broom obeyed her command. The stick end grew in length, which caused Yang to chuckle mischievously. Oh, she already had something in mind planned.

"Yang!" Blake harshly whispered. "Come on!"

"Oh, right."

In a rush, Yang leaped out of the closet with the broom in hand. After she shut the door, she joined Blake's side. The faunus flipped off the lights and locked the door before they bolted down the hall.

It wasn't until they made it halfway down did Blake realize that Yang was holding Wanda.

"Yang, no," Blake chided.

"Yang yes."

* * *

 **The first part is true. After school, my friend and I were idiots and creeped around with the Mission Impossible theme playing. Don't worry, we also took a piece of cake from my teacher once. It was ice cream. And it was delicious.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	62. It's Official

It was odd to look forward to going home.

In the past, Weiss had used the piano room at school as refuge. To avoid going to the mansion for as long as possible. Now, she found herself not using the room as much for that reason. The apartment was nothing compared to the manor. It was worlds better.

The team was walking home in the chilly weather. Since Weiss' apartment wasn't far away, they walked as a group to drop her off before going home themselves.

To protect herself from the cold, Yang adorned the orange scarf that her girlfriend had given her not long ago. Naturally, Weiss wore her own blue mittens that Yang had given her. Blake wore a black woolen hat that had a black puffball on top and Ruby wore her red headband that covered her ears.

As a breeze grazed her face, Ruby hummed a chipper tune. "What're your plans when you get home, Weissy?"

"Studying," Weiss said flatly. It felt like it'd been nothing but studying since she got out of the hospital. Her assignments may have caught up, but understanding the material required more work.

"Smart," Ruby commented airily.

"Same," Blake mentioned blandly. "The test is coming up. Goodwitch said it's a little harder than the others."

From the challenge, Yang grinned. "We're gonna nail it."

… Only thanks to the fake bones that her and Blake stole.

From her girlfriend's comment, Weiss narrowed her eyes. "Why did that sound mischievous?"

"Pft," Yang dismissed with the wave of her hand. "You're hearing things."

Blake nodded in agreement. "Yang always sounds like that."

Since Blake had backed her up, a white eyebrow rose in suspicion. Obviously, those two were up to something. As long as Blake was involved, Weiss was sure it wasn't anything to worry about. Blake was sometimes a positive influence on Yang, so Weiss brushed the thought of her girlfriend getting into mischief away.

It didn't take long for the team to arrive at the front of the apartment complex. When the group arrived, Weiss faced her friends.

"Thank you for walking with me."

"Eh," Blake shrugged. "It's on the way."

"There's no need to thank us, silly," Ruby said obviously. "We'll keep doing this until we find out where your new house will be."

"Sounds like a plan," Weiss offered a smile.

Yang chimed in. "Even then we'll just keep walking with you. Here, I'll walk ya up."

At first, Weiss was going to say that she didn't have to, but knew Yang would insist. Instead, the freezerburn couple walked up the stairs together. Until they reached the door numbered eight.

When the pair stopped at the door, they faced each other with smiles.

Weiss sent her girlfriend a knowing look. "You came up here just to kiss me, didn't you?"

A blush formed on Yang's cheeks. "You know me so well. Ruby and Blake would whine if we kissed in front of them, so-"

Her words were cut off when Weiss ensnared her lips with her own. Yang smiled from the soft contact and wrapped her arms around her torso, pulling her closer. To gain more leverage, Weiss got on her tiptoes and draped her arms over the taller girl's neck, deepening the kiss.

The couple fit perfectly together. Like they were the puzzle pieces that completed each other.

They didn't know how long they were like that, basking in each other's presences.

Eventually, they separated with rosy cheeks.

"Woah," Yang breathed as she swam in those blue eyes. "I-I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah…" Weiss murmured as heat rushed her face.

As Yang turned around to head down the stairs, Weiss placed a hand over her mouth with an intense blush.

In a daze, Yang descended down the stairs. She managed not to stumble this time. Even after they'd kissed many times, the fuzzy feeling never failed to flutter in their stomachs.

Weiss was about to twist the doorknob, but stopped when she heard Yang's voice.

"Love you~"

It felt like cupid's arrow struck her heart. Again. Her heart pounded thickly in her chest as she walked over to the railing. Fondly, Weiss smiled down at her waving girlfriend.

"Love you, too."

It was cold outside, but Yang's smile warmed any breeze.

After that, Yang returned to her team, and Weiss walked inside.

The moment Weiss stepped inside, she was greeted with Klein's boisterous voice.

"Welcome home, snowflake!"

A small smile slipped on her lips. She'd never been greeted just by coming home before. Before, she'd just walk in and retreat to her isolated room. Hearing him say that caused happiness to overflow.

"Hello, Klein."

Klein continued as he adjusted a plate on the table. "I've prepared some fruit for you-" he whirled around to meet her expression. "Goodness! Are you okay? Are you sick again?"

"Pardon?" Weiss asked, exasperated. She felt perfectly fine and sent him a confused gaze.

Hurriedly, Klein rushed over to her. "You're red. Do you have another fever?"

Her blush was that bad?!

From the thought, Weiss giggled a bit, which caused Klein to give her a concerned stare. "I'm more than okay. You worry too much."

Subconsciously, she licked her lips and smiled. Tasted like Yang. She wished this lemonade taste would stay forever. The thought caused heat to rush to her cheeks again.

To make sure she was okay, Klein placed the back of his hand on her forehead. To ease his nerves, Weiss allowed him to do so after a tiny sigh.

"No fever," Klein diagnosed. "Is it that cold outside?"

"Yes, that's it," Weiss went along with it. "It was windier than usual is all."

"I see," Klein accepted the excuse.

Since Weiss was a little hungry, she took a seat at the table and plucked a few grapes from the vines. "Thanks for the food."

As she popped a few delectable orbs in her mouth, Klein sent her a smile. "If you want anything else, let me know," he said, which earned a nod. "How was your day?"

"It was fine," Weiss answered after she munched on a grape. "Ruby's been helping me catch up."

"That Ms. Rose," Klein said fondly. "Tell her I said happy early birthday."

"Will do," Weiss replied happily. "How was your day?"

"It was fantastic, actually," Klein replied with gusto.

"Oh?" that piqued Weiss' interest. "What happened that made it so great?"

As if he was waiting for her to ask that, Klein pulled out the papers that he'd been hiding behind his back. Happily, he set the papers on the table directly in front of her. It was a sizable pile, one that he'd already went through and signed.

At the top, the form stated:

 **Consent to Adoption**

This was it. This is what she'd been waiting so long for. Even when she didn't realize it.

These papers were her literal freedom.

Eagerly, she read the paragraphs. Down the letter. The smallest detail. Klein sat across from her and was silent as she went through the paperwork. With every signature at the bottom of the page, her eyes stung and eventually overflowed with joy.

She hadn't even noticed that the rivulets had rolled down her cheeks until they dropped onto the papers below.

"Are you okay, snowflake?"

"More than okay," Weiss instantly replied, happiness laced in her voice.

Quietly, Klein slid over the black pen when she reached the last page.

Eagerly, Weiss signed her name just to the right of Klein's. When that was done, she let out a heavy sigh to register things. The world lifted off her shoulders. Like an immense pressure gradually faded away. She was finally free from Jacques' iron grip. It was so liberating.

"It's official," Klein stated with a smile. "I just have to submit the documents."

Unable to form words, Weiss stood and held out her arms. Like a kid silently asking to be picked up. Klein got the hint and rushed over for the embrace. They stayed like that for a while, finally out of the trap they'd been stuck in for over a decade. Before now, Klein could only watch her from a distance and help her every now and then, but now he could be there for her every step of the way for the next chapter in life.

Weiss smiled from the warm, loving contact.

The only thing that could make this better was if Yang was here-

A knock on the door.

From the noise, Weiss and Klein separated. After a sigh, Weiss strode over to the door and opened it.

A certain blonde was standing there with a wide grin. Her heavy yellow coat and orange scarf were draped over her.

"Yang?" Weiss asked in disbelief. "What're you doing here?" she glanced down at what her girlfriend was holding. "Why do you have Wanda? Does Glyn know about that?"

"Why're your eyes red?" Yang asked as she stepped inside. "Were you crying?"

"Oh," hastily, Weiss wiped her wet cheeks dry.

Yang gazed at the former butler, who was standing by the table. "Did you make her cry?" her tone wasn't accusatory, just curious.

Weiss gently yanked on her sleeve to show her there was nothing to fear. "He adopted me. The papers are signed now."

"What? No way, that's awesome!" Yang cheered. "Bye, bye, asshole."

"Yeah," Weiss replied. "You didn't answer my question. Why do you have Wanda?" just looking at the broom made her unsettled.

"We're going on a date with Wanda," Yang revealed. "She'll be third _brooming_."

From the pun, Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose.

Klein looked very confused. "You're bringing a broom on a date?"

"Yep!" Yang said like it was the most casual thing in the world. "Get your coat, princess."

"Do I have no say in this?" Weiss asked, unamused.

"Nope!"

"Can I get a new girlfriend instead?" Weiss quipped, not liking that Wanda had to be part of this.

"Let me surprise you," the blonde replied and whispered in her ear. "You may not like the flying part, but it'll be worth it!"

Whatever Yang did obviously meant a lot to her. Weiss just wished she gave her a heads up. Then again, all she had to do for the rest of the day was study. That could wait a couple of hours. The test wasn't for another few days, anyways.

"I'm sorry," Weiss said as she slipped on her blue jacket and mittens. "She requires my attention."

If Yang had a tail, it'd be wagging relentlessly.

"Have fun, you two," Klein waved. "Try to be back before ten."

"Curfew already, huh?" Yang joked.

"Understood, Klei- Dad," Weiss said, finding it a bit odd to call him that. Although, it felt very fitting.

"Aw," Yang couldn't help but coo.

"Quiet you."

Happily, Yang grabbed her girlfriend's hand and they headed out. Outside, it was getting dark and more chilly. The sky was painted orange.

When the two were behind the complex, they took off on the broom. Luckily, there was plenty of forestry, so they were able to take off without a hitch. As usual, Weiss curled into Yang's back as her mittens wrapped around her stomach.

"Don't worry," Yang said calmly. "It's a short ride and I'll go slow."

As they gained air, Weiss told herself not to look down repeatedly. "Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise," Yang chirped. "Don't worry 'bout a thing."

The ride was spent in blissful silence. It was pretty romantic with the atmosphere. It was like a painting with streaks of yellow, orange, and red. Weiss found herself focusing on her girlfriend's heartbeat, which was thumping thickly. Probably from the close contract. The sun also stole her attention. She had an inkling as to what Yang had planned.

The couple soared over Beacon Academy and entered the woods behind the school. Yang was grinning the whole way, unable to stop. She couldn't wait to see her girlfriend's reaction.

The trees below were no longer a vibrant pink. They were mixes of red and orange, tinted by the darkness that loomed over the sky.

Soon, the destination was in view.

The tallest cliff in the Emerald Forest.

The same cliff that harbored the cave. The cave the freezerburn pair annihilated on their first mission together.

Slowly, Yang landed the broom and allowed Weiss to hop off first before getting off herself.

"Yang, this is-"

Weiss' words died in her throat when she gazed at the area. Sprawled out on the cold grass was a thick blanket made of wool. There were two fluffy pillows. On each side were small candles. One of them flickered feebly and struggled with the occasional breeze. The other must've been blown out.

"Very nice…" Weiss breathed, touched that Yang took the time to set this up.

"Stupid candle keeps goin' out," hastily, Yang bent down and snapped her finger over the fuse.

Half of Weiss expected her to pull out a lighter. Then she remembered that this was Yang. After a few seconds, the candle roared with life before weakening a bit.

"It's the thought that counts," Weiss reminded softly. "It's nice, but I'm cold…"

"Have you not met me?" Yang questioned with a smirk. "C'mere, you!"

"Yang, what're you- ah!"

Leaving no room for protest, Yang whisked her princess into a bridal carry and set her down on the blanket. Without warning, Yang wrapped her arms around her shoulders and brought them down together as tiny yelps and giggles ensued.

"Relaaaax," the blonde drawled out. "The sun's about to go down."

With a feigned frown, Weiss adjusted herself on the pillow. Yang pulled her close and flared her aura to keep her warm. It was like a warm blanket enveloped them. It worked like a charm when Yang heard a relieved sigh.

"Feels so nice," Weiss said softly.

"I do, don't I?" Yang asked haughtily. "Like a warm plate of hash browns?"

Weiss perked an amused brow. "Where'd that come from?"

Yang adorned a mischievous smirk. "Your sugar waffle has no idea."

Based on Weiss' reaction, she understood immediately.

"You're the worst," the priestess said, not wanting to think of the time she got drunk on accident.

Blue and lilac gazed up at the sky, watching the sun descend. Gently, their legs interlocked to preserve more warmth. Noticing that her girlfriend was seeking more warmth, Yang leaned into her ear and whispered.

"I know a way to warm you up…"

Her suggestive tone caused Weiss' cheeks to flare. When she noticed that her girlfriend was smirking, she playfully shoved her shoulder. "It's official. You're definitely the worst."

Yang huffed. "I know you love me."

Weiss feebly scoffed. "Someone's full of herself."

"Who can resist this?" Yang jokingly gestured to her body.

To fluster her girlfriend, Weiss slowly inched closer to her face until their lips were mere centimeters apart. Just from being so close caused Yang to close her mouth and stare in those twinkling azure eyes.

"Not me…" Weiss murmured, which caused slight air to tickle Yang's face.

Weiss soothingly brushed her lips over her lover's before closing the distance. The soft contact was euphoric, which caused Yang to pull her closer as she resisted the urge to smile.

The feather-like kissing resumed for several seconds until Weiss separated, much to Yang's dismay. Fondly, Weiss began to trail loving kisses from her neck to her collarbone, which elicited a thin gasp from Yang.

"Gotcha…" Weiss said teasingly with a smile.

"Y-you just caught me off guard," the blonde insisted.

"Good," Weiss whispered and placed a hand on her cheek that was red. "I love you."

Hearing that made time go still. Yang didn't know how this moment was possible. That she was with the love of her life under a gorgeous sky. Affectionately, Yang held the pale hand that was on her cheek and gazed down at her girlfriend. Her white hair draped all around her in a blanket of snow.

The blonde gently brought her lips closer to her girlfriend's before lightly pressing them together. Yang didn't expect the other pair of lips to kiss back with vigor, but she wasn't going to complain and melted into the contact.

The moment Yang made lip contact, Weiss found herself needing more of her. Weiss rolled over and bore down on her, matching her ferocity. Pale hands straddled both sides of Yang's shoulders. This elicited a moan from Yang, but it was muffled with their mouths ensnared.

Yang's hands slowly drew up Weiss' body, one wrapped around her shoulder, and the other entangling itself with white hair. She gently ran her fingers through the snowy tresses of the girl on top of her as her tongue slid along the other's lips, seeking entrance.

Yang opened her mouth, allowing her girlfriend's tongue to shoot forward, the two running around each other in an intricate dance. Yang was as red as a tomato when she felt Weiss' gentle and feather-like touches.

Their kissing sounded like ocean waves crashing on a beach. Neither of them has ever felt this intoxicated before.

Needless to say, Weiss wasn't cold anymore.

Wanting to enjoy this to the fullest, Yang slowly sat up, briefly ending the kiss. This way, Weiss was nicely in Yang's lap.

Lovingly, Yang brushed white bangs away. "You're adorable. I love you."

Azure orbs widened and contained a joyful sparkle.

Not wanting to be apart for a second longer, they melted into each other as their tongues met.

Weiss flung her arms around Yang's neck in a passionate and deep kiss. Yang's hands roamed along her lover's body, until they landed in the small of Weiss' back. Unintentionally, Weiss let out a tiny yelp, but was muffled with their lips ensnared.

From that, Yang pulled apart and gave her a confused, worried expression. "Something wrong? Are you ticklish?"

Weiss briefly glanced away. "N-no…"

"Oh my god, you so are!"

"N-no I'm not!" Weiss tried to brush it off, withdrawing her arms from her girlfriend's neck before crossing them in front of her in an oh so adorable scowl.

"Everyone!" Yang jokingly announced, her voice booming. "Weiss is ticklish!"

After her playful scowl, Weiss' lips slipped upward. "The worst."

Playfully, Weiss shoved her shoulder, which caused Yang to rock backward. When she bounced forward, she pecked her girlfriend on the cheek with a grin. When she pulled back, Yang glanced up at the sky. This caused Weiss to join her and take in the sight.

The stars were shining and the sun had vanished.

"We missed the sunset, didn't we?" Weiss asked.

"Woops."

* * *

 **Anyone have a boner yet? Awesome.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	63. It's Going Tibia Okay

**Sorry for the late upload. I'm in Weeting, England! Life is weird but holy hell is it awesome.**

* * *

"You stole bones!?"

From the sight of basically an entire skeleton on his table, Taiyang's jaw dropped. Lots of plastic bones were scoured across the kitchen table. A few were on the marble floor below, where Zwei was sniffing them. The only reason he didn't steal any was because he got scolded every time he tried to put one in his mouth.

Ruby and Blake had no shame as they sat in chairs. Until now, they'd been studying until he walked in.

"Relax," Blake advised. "This way's better than studying the diagrams."

"What…" Tai muttered. Only one professor taught this subject at Beacon Academy. "Does Glynda know about this?"

Blake folded her hands on the table with a smirk. "She'll get them back before she notices they're gone."

From her response, Taiyang rolled his eyes. "Unbelievable. This was Yang's idea, wasn't it?"

Ruby picked up a particularly broad bone and nodded. "Yep. Pretty genius if you ask me. The test is going to use these bones, so this way to study is way better."

Trying to be a role model, Taiyang sat in front of his girls at the table. "That doesn't justify stealing."

"She'll get them back," Ruby said evenly. "Who wants to keep these?"

Blake nodded in agreement. "They're creepy."

Taiyang let out a heavy sigh. "Just make sure you don't get caught."

Blake placed a hand over her chest to feign drama. "Do you know who we are?"

Ruby jokingly slammed her fists on the table. "We're not amateurs!"

From the sudden noise, Zwei barked as if to agree with his owner.

From her declaration, Taiyang smirked and grabbed a random bone. This one was particularly broad as he displayed it to his daughters. "If you're not amateurs, then what's this?"

Ruby held her chin in deep thought as she stared at the plastic bone. "The scapula."

"Yeah," Blake confirmed and wanted to test her girlfriend. "Where's the spine?"

"Uh…" Ruby mumbled.

To help her find it, Taiyang handed her the bone. Ruby examined it for answers. At last, she flipped it around and ran her fingers along the ridge. As she scrambled her brain for answers, Blake and Taiyang looked at her, expectant.

"Here," Ruby pointed with a grin.

Blake smirked when she was correct. "Where's it found on the body?"

"It's the shoulder blade!"

"Yes!" Blake cheered in victory as she held her hand up.

"Nailed it," Ruby returned the gesture with a high-five.

Taiyang just sighed. Maybe studying this way was for the best. He wanted them to get good grades. Still, he didn't indulge the behavior of 'steal-borrowing.'

"Just make sure Glynda doesn't find out," Taiyang relented, his shoulders dropped. "She's scary when she's mad."

"We know," the ladybug pair replied in unison like they knew that fact all too well.

Before they could continue studying, the front door flew open. It didn't take long for Yang to stumble inside with Wanda in hand. She was greeted with the giddy corgi, who rushed over to greet her with a few licks.

"Heeeeey, Zwei!" Yang greeted. "You're lookin' handsome. Did you do something with your fur?"

A bark.

From the sight of her, Tai was utterly confused. "Why do you have a broom?"

"Uh," Yang mumbled. "To clean up my messes."

"We have Zwei for that," Tai pointed out, which earned another bark.

Unintentionally, Yang began to laugh. Her cheeks were rosy and she gently tugged on the orange scarf around her neck.

"Yang?" Ruby asked, worried. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothin, Rubes!" Yang answered with a sunny smile. "I'm just happy is all!"

It was like there were bubbles floating around the giddy blonde. Her yellow jacket and hair practically beamed in joy. Even though it was dark outside, it felt like it was noon the moment she walked in. Yang walked with a bit of skip in her step as she walked in the kitchen.

Cat ears perked up, fully alert. "I take it your date went well?"

More giggles.

"Maaaaaaaybe."

Seeing her so lovestruck caused the ladybug pair and Tai to smile.

Accidentally, Yang rammed into the corner of the counter. This caused a bowl of popcorn to hit the ground and tip over. Instantly, Zwei was there to devour the snack like a vacuum.

Since it was a lot of popcorn, Yang tried to block the eager dog with the broom.

"Woops," Yang said airily. "Zwei, I'm supposed to use Wanda for that!"

From her sudden yelp, Zwei backed away after munching on the salty food. He'd collected his own small pile before his chipper owner could brush it away.

"Wanda? She named the broom?" Taiyang's jaw dropped as he stared at the ladybug pair. "Does Weiss normally have this effect on her?"

Ruby and Blake knew that Yang could be turned to mush when she spent time with her girlfriend, but they'd never seen it to this extent. As Yang cleaned up the mess, she was humming a chipper tune.

Amused, Blake said. "We'll be right back."

While Tai helped Yang clean up the mess, the ladybug pair retreated to the living room.

"What the heck happened?!" Ruby harshly whispered. "Yang's… Yang's a total airhead!"

"She is normally," Blake stated with a smirk. "But more so than usual. We're going to find out."

Quickly, Blake pulled out her phone and hit Weiss' contact number. It rang a few times before she answered. When it stopped ringing, Ruby leaned in closely to hear the conversation.

"Yes, Blake?" Weiss asked. It sounded like she was busy.

Blake cut to the chase. "What'd you do to Yang?"

Weiss' voice unintentionally raised a few octaves in surprise. "Pardon?"

"She usually acts like a goofball after your dates," Blake said evenly.

"She does?"

"Yeah!" Ruby loudly chimed in, which caused Weiss to recoil on the other end. "She's totally out of it! More than usual!"

Blake continued. "You didn't-" she gasped and placed her hand over her mouth.

"No," Weiss was quick to shut that thought down. "Don't insinuate such things."

Blake smirked from her reply since she got defensive really quick. "We were going to study, but I don't think she can focus at all. At least not for a few more hours. What'd you do?"

The line went dead.

The faunus pulled her phone away with her mouth agape. "She hung up on me!"

"Hm," Ruby hummed. "Maybe we shouldn't press them.

"Maybe."

"Or," Ruby said mischievously. "We should do our own undercover work."

Fondly, Blake pecked her on the lips.

"I like how you think, my rose."

* * *

After school the next day, it was silent.

Like a master, Blake picked the lock to the piano room. Yang stood behind her with a backpack full of fake bones. When the satisfying click rang out, the pair smirked and sauntered inside.

"Any door..." Yang observed.

With that, Blake slipped the bobby pin in her boot. Together, the two laid out the multiple bones on the spacious floor. The magnificent piano was just to the right of them, and Yang sat directly in front of it.

There was no way people could know that they took school property, so they resided in the locked piano room instead of the library to study. This way, no one would know of the deed they'd done.

Hesitantly, Blake reached for a thick, long bone and held it up for Yang to see. "This is the tibia, right?"

"No," Yang said with clarity shook her head. "It's super thin, so it's the fibula. To remember, I think of it as little fib."

"That's actually helpful," the faunus admitted and made a mental note.

With the study guide, Yang read off the sheet. "Can you show me where the malleolar fossa is?"

Sharp amber orbs examined the thin bone as Blake fiddled with it. Eventually, she flipped it upside down and pointed, giving it a few pats. "Here, the bottom."

"Yep!" Yang beamed. "You nailed it."

"Your turn," Blake grabbed the study sheet from her friend. "Find the ulna."

Yang sat there with her legs crossed. The theater lights were on, so all the bones were shining as if they were teasing her. Slight light crept through the windows.

There were many selections, but Yang ultimately chose the correct bone. "This."

"Right," the faunus confirmed. "Find the radial notch."

Eventually, Yang pointed at the bump near the top of the bone. "This one?"

"No," Blake shook her head. "That's the semilunar notch. It's understandable that you mixed them up. They're close together and look about the same. The radial notch is just below it."

"Shit," the blonde cursed in frustration. "How does Glyn expect us to know this with only a couple days left?! Especially when we're not even supposed to have the bones?"

"She does have open hours for people to come in and study them," Blake defended. "But yeah, it is a little excessive."

Yang frustratingly adjusted herself on the wooden floor and crossed her arms. She glared at the bones like she wanted to kill them. Perhaps throw them in a fire pit so there'd be no test.

After a deep breath, she adorned a smirk. A plan sparked in her mind as she picked up a bone.

"It's going _tibia_ okay."

Blake put her head in her hands like she was trying to escape the room. "Oh my god."

What's worse, Yang picked the correct bone and a tiny giggle ensued.

With a grin, Yang set the bone to the side. "What? I found it," she picked up the bone next to it. " _Humerus."_

That wide, satisfied smirk never vanished. Blake stifled a groan from the puns. Yang was on a roll and showed no signs of stopping.

"You gave me a _femur_ ," Yang pointed at the femur bone, trying to stifle a chuckle. She egged her friend on with an even wider smirk. "You look very _sternum_ right now. Maybe you should turn on the _radius_ and relax."

A long, shaky breath.

Blake just stared at her friend, who looked immensely proud of herself. "Your puns may actually help you with this."

Yang sassily flipped her hair. "I'm a genius."

"For this, maybe," the faunus admitted. As long as her strategy would work, maybe she could pass the test.

When there was a pregnant pause, Blake saw her chance to switch the subject.

"What'd you and Weiss do last night?"

If Yang had water in her mouth she would've done a spit take. "What?"

Blake crossed her arms knowingly. "You were acting more stupid than usual last night. Something had to have happened."

"Gee thanks," Yang droned and looked taken aback by that. "I got to spend time with the most beautiful girl in the world. Why wouldn't I be happy?"

That caused Blake to smile and she leaned in with a low whisper. "You're in love with her, aren't you?"

That made Yang chuckle. "You didn't notice before? And here I thought you were perceptive."

"You have it bad," Blake observed. "You gush over her more than she gushes over Zwei."

"Look who's talkin'," Yang pointed out. "I'm surprised I got you in here all to myself. You and Rubes are attached at the hip, or should I say os coxa."

"Stop," Blake pleaded with a blush. For once, she wanted a break from talking about parts of the human body. Thoughts of her girlfriend overrode her mind instead. "We've always been like that."

"That doesn't make it any less adorable," Yang said with a cheery grin.

Just then, the doorknob was being fiddled with. Sounded like a key.

"Hide them!" Blake yelped.

In a rush, Blake and Yang gathered the bones and tried to hastily shove them in the yellow backpack. However, they failed to do so in time due to their varying sizes. The door creaked open and they braced themselves.

A pair of red and white walked into an interesting sight. Several bones stuck out of the bag and were scattered on the floor as Yang and Blake hovered over them.

"Oh," Yang breathed a sigh of relief. "It's just you two."

Weiss playfully rolled her eyes as she and Ruby approached. "So this is what you two were conspiring."

Hastily, Ruby faced Weiss. "Please don't tell!"

"You knew about this as well?" Weiss asked, which earned a nod. "Why would I tell?"

She sounded more confused than anything. She may be a model student, but she'd never rat out her friends like that.

Yang simply shrugged. "Cuz you're a teacher's pet."

Weiss couldn't deny that. "It's from Goodwitch, right?"

That earned three nods.

"She owes us," Weiss reminded with a smirk.

Blake looked like she was contemplating life. "That- that's one way of looking at it."

Together, Ruby and Weiss sat with their team. Slowly, Blake and Yang began to unload the bones and set them in the middle of the circle. The girls leaned in to get a good look at them.

"Which part are you on?" Weiss questioned.

"Buckle up," Yang said with her signature smirk. "It's a pain to do this _mandibally_."

Groans.

* * *

 **This chapter totally helped me study for my test lol.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	64. Another Angelic Keepsake

Blank azure orbs stared mindlessly at the pages. A hand was placed airily under her chin.

Her brain was no longer registering any words in the thick textbook.

Klein was out running errands, which left her to do as she pleased.

It'd been a few hours since Weiss began studying.

Multiple textbooks were scattered on the kitchen table. There were several stacks of papers all over. A few lights were on so she could see the text properly. A light hovered just above the table.

The windows were closed since it was already dark outside.

By this point, Weiss was no longer comprehending any of the material. She was officially caught up in her classes and memorized the labeling for the next test. Only thanks to the 'borrowed' bones that Blake and Yang cleverly took from Goodwitch.

The priestess figured that since she had some free time, she might as well study. It was better than watching mind-numbing T.V. and not making progress on anything. She had time, so she wanted to get a head start on the next few units.

A couple of hours of reading took its toll as she let out a sigh. Maybe it was time for a break.

 _I'm not getting anywhere,_ Weiss whined. _Maybe I should ask Kle- Dad to pick me up some coffee. But he's busy enough. Then again, I could get some to take home from the teacher's lounge._

After rubbing her temples, Weiss closed all the textbooks. She gathered the papers with various numbers and equations plastered all over them and placed them in multi-colored folders. After putting everything away, she slipped those in her backpack.

Wondering what her girlfriend was doing, Weiss texted her.

 **Hello my gorgeous girlfriend. What are you up to this lovely evening?**

Not expecting her to reply anytime soon, Weiss placed her phone in her school uniform skirt pocket. Right as she did so, her phone vibrated, which caused her heart to skip a beat. Yang wanted to talk to her just as much as she did. The thought caused butterflies to flutter in her stomach.

 **About to practice my boxing!** Yang messaged. **It's been too long. Wbu?**

Weiss smiled at that and texted back. **Finished studying for the night and my mind is numb.**

 **Ohhhh I get it** Yang texted. **you need me as a distraction! ;)**

That caused Weiss to playfully roll her eyes. She caught the suggestive insinuation even through text and blushed. **You seem to be rather good at that.**

Not even a second later did Yang reply. She must've been paying full attention to her girlfriend and wasn't distracted by anything else. **Just say the word and I'll come over princess. Or you could come over to my place. Rubes and Blakey are gone and so's dad ;D**

From the wink face, Weiss' cheeks heated up. She knew Yang was joking, but part of her felt like she wasn't. Either way was endearing, at least to her.

Weiss almost texted back, 'brute,' but there was a knock on the door. That interrupted her thoughts like a train slammed on the breaks. It must've been Klein. Which was odd, considering he has a key.

Wondering who it was, Weiss strode over to the door. One glance through the peephole told her everything. Now that she'd be busy, she quickly texted her girlfriend.

 **Sorry, something just came up. Have fun boxing. I love you.**

Naturally, she wanted to spend some time with her girlfriend, but the visitor was a priority for now.

Not waiting for a reply, Weiss slipped the phone in her pocket and it almost instantly buzzed again. She didn't want to ignore it, but Weiss had to for now. She didn't want to keep her waiting and answered the door.

"Winter," Weiss greeted happily. "Oh how nice it is to see you! I thought you wouldn't come by again!"

Winter adorned a smile as she leaned in to whisper. "Is Klein here?"

"No, he's running errands," Weiss replied, finding it odd that that's the first thing she asked.

"Good," with that, Winter stepped inside and made sure the door locked behind her.

"Win, you shouldn't walk alone at night," Weiss fretted, noticing that it was pitch-black outside. "I know you're strong, but you never know what people will try to do."

After Winter set a drawstring bag on the table, she sent her little sister a smile. "Weiss, you and I both know that I can handle myself. I didn't come here to be lectured. Come here."

When the eldest waved her over, Weiss joined her side and eyed the blue drawstring bag. "What's in there?"

"Remember when us siblings each received a keepsake of our mother?" Winter reminded as she opened the bag. "I want to give you mine."

Her words caused Weiss to almost go speechless.

"Win- what…"

Carefully, Winter pulled out a shiny tiara and gently placed it on the table to present it to her sister.

It was the same condition as Weiss remembered it. It was a sparkling dark gray. Due to the fire, it'd been charred black. After the fire burned their house down, the Schnee's salvaged what little was left. Among the few items that belonged to Willow was her locket, tiara, and a few scorched pictures.

Since the first two was jewelry, the female siblings received those items. While Whitley received most of the pictures.

The last couple of years, Winter spent tireless amounts of hours to restore the tiara to its original version. The hard work paid off. It was good as new. It was clear that Winter took great care of it.

Gently, Weiss picked up the tiara and treated it like glass. "Why are you giving this to me? This is the only thing you have left to remember mother."

"I truly believe that it will be of use to you," Winter answered solemnly, which caused confused azure pools to meet.

"How so?"

"You said mother was an angel," Winter explained, which made Weiss nod. "Your- our- enemy is a demon. Therefore, it should be of value to you in some shape or form. Especially since you have her locket as well. At least that's how I perceive it."

"I never thought of it like that," Weiss admitted. She could tell her older sister had been worried and pondering ways to help her in any way she could these last few days. The result was this. Giving up a dearly sentimental item. "Thank you for trusting me with it, Winter. It means a lot."

Fondly, Winter placed a hand on her little sister's shoulder. "Be careful, my dear sister. Should you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

Weiss sternly nodded. "If I think of something, I'll let you know."

Firmly, the priestess gripped the fragile tiara. She felt so blessed to have such a great sister and focused her love and poured it into the shiny jewelry. Naturally, the tiara shined a bright white light in response. This caused the two to widely grin from the angelic sight.

"It's never done that before," Winter breathed in awe. "It's just like your locket. Perhaps I was correct to assume that it'd be of use."

For a moment, the tiara looked like the halo of an angel.

"When I'm done with it, you'll get it back," Weiss said softly. "I promise."

"Weiss, I don't mind if I ever see it again. As long as it will help you."

It was true that it was a precious memory of what she had of her mother, but Winter didn't mind. It was of no use to her. Until now, the twinkling tiara had been in her room and never left. Based on the white light it emitted in her little sister's care, she made the right decision to give it to her.

Affectionately, Weiss wrapped her in a hug. Having expected that, Winter returned the embrace with a soft smile. She lovingly entangled her hands in those white tresses as she held her close.

This is how it should be.

Nothing was going to ruin this.

In determination, Winter stated. "That half-demon will soon realize what a mistake it was to mess with my little sister," she pulled away and looked straight into those pools of blue. "Do not hesitate and go on with all your might, understood?"

"I'll make you proud."

"You already have."

* * *

Dozens of miles away from any sign of civilization, rested a cave.

The nearly endless amount of dull forestry coated the landscape and hid the cave that was lodged in the side of a cliff.

The black birds kawed as three people approached the gaping mouth- the entrance. From their mere presence, the animals abandon their nests. This caused the trees to shiver. Not just from the ominous breeze.

One of the small black birds landed on the taller woman's shoulder. It was a tiny nevermore, one that the fiery woman allowed to rest there. The grimm's piercing red eyes matched her own.

Cinder was in the middle of her two minions. Her red dress burned in the night along with those determined eyes. Behind the trio was an army of grimm that trailed calmly. The sheer numbers caused a puff of blackness to linger in the air and drift to the sky.

A particularly large deathstalker never left Mercury's side as it dawdled next to him. Mercury stayed close to the beast, even laying one of his hands on the armor.

"How much has _it_ grown?" Mercury asked.

Now that the three were in the cave, his question echoed in the abyss.

Cinder conjured a fireball to guide the way as the horde obediently followed. "It should be any moment now," she said eerily as she brushed her fingers on the small bird's beak.

It squawked in response, which elicited an impish grin. Like the tiny bird knew it would bother its master, it didn't screech directly in her ear. Rather, directed it into the darkness.

While the grimm kept pouring in, only one alpha beowolf was allowed next to Emerald. The other grimm kept their distance. The alpha sniffed the air greedily, which caused Emerald to give her pet a look.

From the stare, the alpha glanced away. In response, Emerald pat its back that was spiked with strong armor. The grimm grunted to acknowledge the contact as it prowled on all fours.

The further they trudged into the abyss, the colder it became. Like a refrigerator. It was isolating. The perfect conditions for _it_.

At last, the three arrived and absorbed the sight.

There was a dark brown egg on top of a modest cliff. Almost as if it would fall from the slightest movement and crack open. The shell itself was as big as a full-grown ursa. There were a few cracks on the outside and it shook every now and then and teetered dangerously on the edge.

"Woah," Emerald breathed with her mouth agape. "That progressed quickly."

"Magnificent, isn't he?" Cinder questioned, proud of her work.

Several crack sounds rang out in a thunderous wave. This caused the army of grimm to suddenly go quiet. Like the egg was the boss and calling the shots. The three stood there in place, as if they were too stunned to move. Only watch.

A deep rumble caused the entire cave to shake.

It was unlike any noise they'd ever heard. No grimm had ever made a sound as menacing as that. It was like one of those roars that was only heard in haunted houses. The kind that were so devilish that they had to be fake.

 _Oh my god,_ Emerald thought as she stared at the egg. _This thing is pure evil. Are we equipped to handle it?_

The sound was so harsh that some debris drifted from the ceiling and several boulders rolled over.

Unintentionally, Emerald and Mercury stumbled backward. The very noise struck a core within them. Watching their masters, the alpha beowolf and deathstalker crawled back as well.

However, Cinder wasn't the slightest bit fazed. In fact, she held out her arms in a display of dominance.

"Did I tell you to roar?!"

Dead silence.

Every single grimm froze in place.

Emerald and Mercury stared at her, wide-eyed. It looked like she had a death wish, but it was clear that she knew what she was doing based on the smirk.

The egg stopped wiggling. The cracks split into multiple paths.

 _Cinder is… terrifying,_ Emerald thought. _Can I handle this?_

"No?" Cinder continued with a wicked grin. The tiny bird on her shoulder tightened its taloned grip. "Be quiet. Conserve your energy."

From that display alone, the lethal deathstalker began to whimper. This caused Cinder to whirl around and glare at the beast. Frantically, Mercury hushed it.

"Quiet, Mr. Pinchy."

When the beast silenced itself, there was a different whine. The alpha beowolf's snivel.

"Dingo," Emerald addressed in a whisper. "Now's not the time."

They had no idea why their menacing grimm were acting this way. Perhaps the egg alone shook the grimm to their cores. The rest of the horde was in submissive stances.

Cinder grit her teeth as the fireball in her grasp roared with life. "Stop giving them moronic names."

She was in a foul mood, but Mercury had to point something out. "I'm sorry, my lady. With all due respect, you named your bird Spike."

A squawk.

In response to that, Cinder ripped the tiny nevermore from her shoulder and crushed it like a baseball. The grimm had no time to react as it was hurled directly into the alpha beowolf's jaws with a crunch.

Dingo chewed greedily, giving them a satisfying slurp.

Happy that her beowolf was full, Emerald asked. "What will we name _it_?"

The trio faced the massive egg that'd gone still.

Cinder placed a hand under her chin in deep thought.

"It will be…"

* * *

 **LOL why do you guys suck at giving things names? Those sister moments awwww.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	65. Just One Hint!

**VOLUME 7 HAS ARRIVED! AT LAST!**

* * *

Together, the ladybug couple approached a new restaurant for their date.

The title of the building caused Blake's cat ears to flick as she stared at her girlfriend.

The two words were emblazoned, bolded white.

"Really?" Blake faced Ruby with an unamused look.

"What?" Ruby asked innocently. "It's a nice place."

It appeared that Ruby thought nothing of the name. Perhaps that she wasn't aware of the insinuation. Instead of pressing to see if she was feigning innocence, Blake left it at that.

The loving couple walked into the restaurant called:

 **Fancy Feast**

This date was Ruby's idea. It'd been a long day at school, and she knew exactly how to cheer her girlfriend up. This restaurant was filled with gourmet dishes of fish. Blake had no idea, just blindly allowed her girlfriend to surprise her.

Naturally, Blake was more than happy to go on a date with her girlfriend. In fact, she was going to ask her out, but Ruby beat her to it. Before Ruby's birthday, which was also Halloween and this weekend, Blake wanted to spend some alone time with her.

Apparently, Ruby did, too.

The moment the couple walked in, a warm blast of air enveloped them. Thanks to Blake's sensitive nose, she was able to sniff out the various fish. She got excited for a moment, her cat ears perking up under her dark red bow.

"You smell it?" Ruby asked with a grin. "This place's specialty is fish. I figured you'd like it."

"It smells like heaven," it took all of Blake's self-control to not drool. "Thank you for showing me this paradise."

"My pleasure."

After that, they approached the hostess. After a brief exchange, the hostess guided the ladybug pair to a booth that was positioned by a window. Luckily, the place was less than half full, so a cushiony booth was preferable.

They took their seats and glanced outside for a second.

The leaves were dull and constantly drifted to the ground. Most of the trees were bare as wind grazed the branches. Any leaflets that were desperately latching on were swept away by the lightest breeze.

It was cold, so the couple adorned black and red dress coats before shedding them when they warmed up. Underneath, Blake wore a classy black dress with a modest low cut and had a new dark red bow over her cat ears. Ruby's dress matched the color of her girlfriend's bow. Since Ruby didn't know much about dresses, Yang had chosen this one for her. It was charming and showed just the right amount of skin.

When the sun's rays beamed on Blake, silver eyes twinkled as Ruby ogled her girlfriend. "Blake, you're so beautiful!"

It was almost like she announced that to the entire restaurant. Thankfully, it wasn't filled with that many people and didn't attract much attention.

From the compliment, Blake blushed and grinned at her happy girlfriend. "And you're very vibrant, my rose."

She truly meant it. To her, Ruby was like the rare rose that thrived even in the harshest conditions.

Jokingly, Ruby sent her a smug grin. "How poetic. I think those books are rubbing off on you."

Since Ruby's hand rested on top of the table, Blake grasped it with a smile. It didn't take long for their eyes to meet. The couple swam in shimmering silver and golden pools. They almost got lost in them-

"May I take your order?"

The sudden voice caused them to separate in a fluster. The waiter didn't seem to mind the hand-holding at all as he stared at them, expectant.

"O-oh uh," Ruby stammered, trying to compose her thoughts. Her heart thumped thickly in her chest just from gazing at her breathtaking girlfriend earlier. "I don't know what I want," she admitted and knowingly stared at Blake. "But she wants..."

Ruby knew full well that she didn't have to order for her girlfriend, but she'd done research before coming here and was positive that Blake would fall in love with a certain dish that she wanted her to try. Blake was no stranger to trying new foods, so she'd be open to the idea.

"... the ginger glazed mahi-mahi."

Intrigued, Blake nodded. "That sounds good. I'll take that."

"Alright," the teenage waiter wrote the order on his notepad. After, he looked to Ruby. "What would you like?"

"Uh," Ruby said softly.

"I got this," Blake said with a smirk. That caused Ruby to lean in with anticipation. They were ordering for each other? It was like the ultimate 'do you really know my tastes?' test.

"Do you have chicken tenders?"

"Blaaaaake," Ruby whined. "Not the kids' menu again!"

That caused the waiter and faunus to chuckle a bit. Normally, Ruby preferred the kids' menu. However, Fancy Feast didn't have the option and that was Blake's attempt at a joke. Earlier, Blake had glanced at the menu and already picked her choice.

"She'll have shrimp pad thai," the faunus stated.

"Oh," Ruby hummed in delight. "Yeah, that sounds really good right now."

Blake sent her a genuine smile. "We know each other too well."

"Okay," the waiter confirmed. "I'll be back with your orders."

After the couple nodded, they focused on each other again.

"Interesting choice," Ruby casually mentioned.

Blake shrugged. "You like pad thai and shrimp, so why not?"

"I can't wait to try it!" Ruby chirped in excitement. "The mahi-mahi is this place's special. Everyone loves it, so I bet you will, too. If you don't then I'm a failure."

Blake chuckled from that. "No, then my taste buds are a failure."

"Your fish-equipped taste buds?" Ruby questioned with a smirk. "Yeah, right. Is there any fish you don't like?"

"Sushi," Blake instantly replied.

Ruby sounded shocked by that. Like her world just shattered. "Really? Out of all the fish?"

"I don't know about you, but I don't like my food raw," Blake said as a shiver rocked her spine. Just thinking of sushi disgusted her. "I prefer it cooked."

"That's a good point," Ruby admitted evenly. "Sushi's… meh. Definitely not my go-to, but I'd eat it. Only because Dad gets it sometimes."

From the mention of him, Blake playfully rolled her eyes. "Him and Yang go crazy for it. I'll never understand why."

"Even Zwei eats it," Ruby pointed out cheerfully. "He looks like he regrets it afterwards, though."

Nonchalantly, Blake sipped her water. "He looks like he regrets a lot of things."

"Zwei needs to think before he eats whatever's in front of him," Ruby reasoned, which elicited a light giggle from Blake.

With a wide smirk, the faunus set the cup of ice water on the table. "He's getting pudgy again. Sometimes it's like watching a loaf of bread twerk."

From the casual comment, Ruby almost burst into laughter. "Oh my god, you put it into words!"

Since her girlfriend was so giddy, that made Blake grin. "It's true, right?!"

"Yeah!"

The couple shared laughter as bubbles floated in the atmosphere.

"Oh my god…" Ruby mumbled.

Cat ears perked up, alert. "What?"

"Can you imagine if Zwei could see grimm?" Ruby asked, in awe from the idea.

"He'd turn tail and run so fast," Blake concluded.

"I don't know," Ruby shrugged. "He's kinda protective."

"Are you talking about the big grimm or small ones?" Blake wanted to clarify. "I can see him maybe roughhousing with ones his size, but I think a nevermore _might_ scare him a little bit."

"That's what I meant," Ruby lightly giggled. "An ursa would eat him in two seconds."

"He'd be like a hot pocket to an ursa. Just a little snack," Blake commented.

As the two laughed from the thought of Zwei being a hot pocket and twerking loaf of bread, the waiter approached the table with two steaming plates in hand.

"A mahi-mahi," he set the warm plate by Blake. "And shrimp pad thai," he coaxed the plate over to the eager Ruby.

After collective "thank you's," the waiter returned behind the kitchen.

Instead of digging in, Blake waited for Ruby to try the honorary first bite. "Well?"

Knowing that she was waiting, Ruby twirled the noodles around her fork before stabbing an expertly cooked shrimp. Eagerly, she chewed the warm food and swallowed with a grin.

Blake leaned in, expectant.

"It's yummy!" Ruby gave her a thumbs up. "Good pick, kitten. Now it's your turn."

With that, Blake used her fork to slice a piece of the fish. A knife wasn't needed since it was delectably squishy. With joy, the faunus swallowed the orange-glazed fish. A burst of flavor ensued. Her mouth was salivating from the deliciousness.

"We know each other too well," the faunus said happily. Before Ruby could ask if she liked it or not, Blake chewed on another piece.

"Yes!" Ruby cheered in victory. "I knew you'd like it."

For a few moments, the couple just enjoyed each other's company while taking a few bites here and there. When both of their mouths were full, their waiter asked them how it tasted. All they could offer was a thumbs up and muffled words in a blubbering mess.

When the waiter left to tend to another table, Ruby grinned. "They always do that."

"It's like they wait for it," Blake agreed. "Here," she held out her fork full of mahi-mahi. "You have to try it."

"If you insist," Ruby blushed and leaned in, biting the delectable fish. Silver eyes widened from the sudden flavor. "Mmm," was all she could moan.

Ruby looked like she was floating in the clouds, which caused Blake to smile.

Happily, Ruby twirled her fork around the noodles and stabbed a shrimp for Blake. "I know you like shrimp."

"I do," Blake admitted and flirtatiously accepted the food by biting down on her girlfriend's fork. When she finished chewing, she licked her lips. "So good."

Seeing Blake like this caused Ruby's heart to flutter. She was on a date with the most beautiful girl in the world and got to spoil her to boot. It was clear to her that Blake was enjoying this to the fullest. Being surrounded by fish was always a bonus.

Now that they tried each other's food, they went back to eating their own dishes.

After Ruby sipped on her water, she asked. "What're you looking forward to this week? Have anything planned?"

"For starters," Blake drawled with emphasis. "Someone told me, now, correct me if I'm wrong, it's your birthday this weekend?"

From her tone, Ruby adorned a knowing grin. "What're you planning?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Blake winked and casually glanced out the window. Like that might make Ruby forget it.

"Ugh, Blaaaaaake," Ruby groaned. "Just one hint!"

To make it look like the information was top secret, Blake glanced around like she wanted to make sure no one was eavesdropping. She leaned in with a poker face. Eager, Ruby leaned in and lend an ear.

"It has to do with Halloween."

"No duh!" Ruby blurted. "That's the lamest hint ever!"

Satisfied from her reaction, Blake leaned back up and casually sipped her water like she had nothing to hide. "How do you feel about the test that's tomorrow?"

From the sudden subject change, Ruby almost frowned. "Don't think I don't see what you're doing. I get distracted easily, but not that easily!"

Blake just shrugged. "It was worth a shot."

"But," Ruby sighed. "I'll drop it for now," silver eyes narrowed in determination. "Just know that I will find out before the weekend. You know how good I am with detective work."

Cleverly, Blake sipped on some water as her cat ears flicked under her bow. "Not as good as me."

"True," Ruby had to admit. "Still, I have a few tricks up my sleeve. Even you might be surprised."

Coolly, Blake glanced at her dark red nails like she was disinterested. She wasn't willing to give Ruby a reaction. She'd spent a while planning for her girlfriend's birthday and she wasn't going to ruin it. Neither would anyone else.

"Really though," Blake continued as she gazed at Ruby. "Are you comfortable with tomorrow's test? We can go over the material later if you want."

After thinking for a few moments, Ruby nodded sincerely. "I think I'm good. We've been studying a lot, so most of it stuck. What about you?"

Blake locked with those entrancing eyes. She almost forgot what they were talking about.

"If I don't get an A, I'll be mad," the faunus said. "Yang should be good, too. And Weiss… well, she's Weiss."

"Fair enough," Ruby noted. After, she swallowed the few noodles that were left on her plate.

"We just have to survive the test and then we're in for an incredible weekend," Blake said with a smile.

In defeat, Ruby slid her hands on the table as she reached out for Blake. "One more hint?"

Lovingly, Blake held both of her hands. "Hmmmm…"

Ruby waited as she rubbed her thumbs over her girlfriend's palm.

"You drink milk."

"Blaaaake," Ruby droned. "Now you're just stating facts."

"You're also very gorgeous," the faunus added with a smile.

That caused Ruby to blush as red as her dress. She gave her a weak, flustered laugh. "Stop it. You are, too."

A wink. Amber pools were accented by the blush.

Just then, the waiter returned with the check. Before he could set it on the table, Blake snatched it from his grip.

"I'll take that, thank you."

"Thanks for dining with us."

With that, the server left the couple.

"Blake," Ruby called. "You don't have to pay. This was my idea, so I should."

"Ruby," Blake deadpanned knowingly. "Your birthday is in a few days. Let your girlfriend handle this."

While Ruby grumbled something under her breath, the faunus retrieved some money from her purse and stuck it in the checkbook.

Ruby perked an interested brow. That was a somewhat large wad of cash. "Where'd you get all that money?"

After she asked, Ruby slipped on her red coat. Blake took that as her cue to put on her own flowing black jacket.

"It's better if you don't know," was all Blake said.

Knowing that her girlfriend wouldn't answer, Ruby didn't pry. Truthfully, she kind of didn't want to know, anyways. The faunus had her ways. When the two left the booth, they came together and held hands as they walked out of the restaurant.

It was a peaceful walk back home. They'd dressed warmly and the cold air did little to bother them. Home wasn't far away, which is why they walked. The couple went at a slower pace since the faunus was in black heels. Instead of heels, Ruby chose to wear flats, which were comfier to her.

A few citizens were roaming about, but none were recognizable or noteworthy.

Their blissful walk was disturbed when Ruby caught a shadow in the distance. It was sniffing the air greedily and on all fours. The black mass stalked around a humble baking shop. From the looks of it, no one else saw it. That only meant one thing.

"That's weird," Ruby mumbled and pointed at the mass. "I've never seen a beowolf in the city before. Have you?"

"No," Blake answered, in shock from the sight. It was normal to see a grimm in a forest, but a city? "There were those tiny nevermores that one time, but I wouldn't count them."

Knowing that they couldn't leave it here, Ruby adorned a wicked smile. "Let's kill it," she said cheerfully.

Before Ruby could inch toward the beast, Blake grabbed her arm. "We don't have our weapons."

"Look at it," the sniper said solemnly. "It's smaller than most beowolves. It must be inexperienced. Maybe that's why it's away from its pack. My point is that it's weak."

"Underestimating grimm is a bad idea," Blake pointed out and then sighed. "But we can't just leave it here."

"Exactly."

Blake tilted her head at her girlfriend. "Ladybug?"

"Ladybug."

Together, the two sprinted side-by-side at the target. Since they were in public, they received multiple stares from the sudden charge. Some people nearby even jumped from their abrupt sprint.

The lingering stares reminded the couple to not use their semblances. Otherwise, they'd have some serious explaining to do.

In unison, they flanked the beowolf's sides.

The grimm had no idea what was going on as it sniffed the side of a building.

Ruby darted to the front to distract it while Blake handled the rear.

From seeing a red blob so suddenly in an aggressive manner, the grimm growled. When Ruby got close, it swiped. That was exactly what Ruby predicted as she narrowly dodged the lethal claws. It was helpful to act as if the claws were Yang's powerful fists.

As a counterattack, Ruby slammed her fist directly into its throat. The result was a satisfying, torn yelp. The bones crunched as she twisted deeper for more damage. From the bow, the grimm was stunned in place.

Not giving the beast a second to retaliate, Blake rammed her heel in the back of its neck.

The double-crushing blow was more than enough to almost decapitate the head. It dangled by a thread as the body collapsed and began to wither away.

Ruby and Blake just stared at the corpse in a mixture of awe and disgust.

"That was an amazing right cross," Blake praised. "Yang would be proud."

"You used your heels as lethal weapons!" Ruby chirped giddily. "You're the one who blew its head clean off!"

Hesitantly, Blake stepped over the corpse to join her girlfriend's side. "That was easy."

Like nothing happened, Ruby held her hand and pecked her cheek.

Multiple whispering bystanders could only stare as the couple walked away from the scene. From their point of view, the couple rushed something, punched air, and then left. They were left to itch their heads.

"Good job, my kitten," Ruby praised softly. "I'm glad we think on the same frequency. It makes things a lot easier."

Since Ruby was quicker, she was more easily able to dodge any frontal attacks. Blake was a master at the art of an ambush, anyways. The combination was a no-brainer.

Fondly, Blake squeezed her hand. "You kicking grimm butt in a dress is a sight to behold."

Ruby giggled.

"I could say the same about you."

* * *

 **Just a cute ladybug date!**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	66. Where's Wanda?

Today was finally the day.

It was almost the end of the class period. It'd been eerily quiet as the students scribbled down answers to the questions on the test.

Before, Ms. Goodwitch had meticulously laid out and scattered the bones in stations. Every two minutes, the students would rotate and name the bone, suture, or landmark at the station. There was no word bank, which provided a challenge.

Luckily, Yang found time to slip in and return the bones before the professor noticed. From the looks of it, team RWBY was in the clear. Glynda had no idea that a set of bones had been missing for about a week.

The entire period, it was silent as the sound of pencils marking paper lingered. Every now and then, the members of team RWBY would glance amongst each other with reassuring confidence. Since there were stations, they weren't ever close to another.

So far, so good. The test was easy. Based on other students' troubled reactions, they were struggling.

At last, the bell rang and students poured out of the room, muttering under their breath about how hard it was. Team RWBY felt like they were on top of the world. They didn't even bat an eye from the so-called 'challenging' test.

Before leaving the room, Ruby held up her hand at her older sister. Happily, Yang high-fived it as they cheered.

"Nailed it," Yang said in victory.

Ruby crossed her arms with finality and smirked. "I thought there'd be way more stuff on it! I feel like I worried for nothing."

Interested, Weiss faced the quiet faunus. "How do you think you did?"

"If I get less than an A plus, I won't be happy," Blake deadpanned.

"Fair."

Blake wasn't even going to ask how Weiss thought she did. She already knew the answer.

By now, the rest of the class had left the room. This left Glynda alone with the team. From their conversation, she inspected their reactions with a quirked brow. "You all seem awfully confident," she said, noting to grade their papers with extra care.

From the comment, Yang smirked. "You couldn't have made it easier."

Glynda looked scoffed from the arrogant response. "I thought I made it challenging."

"Nope," the blonde quipped happily. "We just studied a lot is all."

"Good job, team," Goodwitch praised, which earned grins. If only she knew how they studied with the 'borrowed' bones. "I could tell a few students were struggling, but you seemed at ease the entire time."

"Yep!" Ruby chirped. "The information definitely stuck."

With that, the team headed for the door.

"Wait," Glynda called, which caused them to stop in their tracks.

"Yeeeees?" Yang whirled around to look at her, expectant.

Suddenly, Glynda's desk rattled. Team RWBY almost jumped in response. This caused the professor to push back her chair and grumble under her breath.

Curious, Blake asked. "What was that?"

Without answering, the professor leaned down and grabbed the pest that hid under her desk. She held the black mass by its neck as it shrieked through the floppy black trunk.

From the sight, Ruby said. "What the… how long has that been under there?!"

"The whole period," Glynda revealed. "I didn't want to distract you all before the test. I found it here when I first arrived. It was fiddling with my pens, so I trapped it under here."

"No wonder why you didn't leave your seat," Blake observed. She found it odd that her teacher remained seated the entire time, but didn't question it. At least now she knew why.

"Weiss," Goodwitch addressed, which caused the girl in question to perk up. "Can you purify this goliath for me?"

"Say no more," Weiss said as she strolled over to the teacher and held up her hand.

It hovered directly over the screeching mini goliath grimm. Without much effort, a small light emitted and enveloped the shrieking black elephant. In less than five seconds, the grimm vanished and Glynda let out a small sigh.

"Thank you," Glynda appreciated that.

"No problem," the priestess replied and offered a smile. "If there's another, you know where to find me."

A grimm that size was nothing to her. Team RWBY had seen the process a bunch of times. It was way more mesmerizing when she purified larger grimm rather than smaller ones. Still amazing to watch, just not as entrancing.

"Ready to go?" Yang asked her girlfriend.

"Yes."

"Alright," the blonde softly replied. "Later, Glyn!"

After Goodwitch waved them off, the team headed to the hallway and to their lockers.

Yang crossed her arms in annoyance. "Those things are still lurkin' around?"

Blake understood her being irritated from that. "They're never-ending."

"It's more of a pain for Weissy," Ruby grinned as she gazed at her friend.

"It's nothing compared to before," Weiss informed solemnly.

Ruby shook her head. "I can't imagine this place being overrun by them. I'm surprised you and Yang weren't driven insane. Kinda."

"Hey!"

Casually, Yang placed her hands on the back of her head. "She sure was!"

Not wanting to put up with their teasing, Weiss chose not to entertain the subject. That was a good choice since they'd arrived at their lockers. JNPR was already there, gathering their lunch boxes for the lunch period that was next.

"Hey guys!" Ruby greeted with a grin. "Have you taken the test yet? How'd it go?"

Pyrrha contemplated the question for a moment. "It was simple. I expected more, but I won't complain."

"What!?" Nora blurted, dumbfounded that her friend could think that. "No it wasn't it was hard!"

From her reaction, Ren playfully rolled his eyes. "Maybe because you didn't study."

"That may be a factor," Nora admitted and dipped her head in defeat.

While her friends mingled, Blake pulled the quiet Jaune to the side to discuss a few pressing things. To make sure it was safe, the faunus honed her cat ears in on the conversations around her. Good. Everyone was distracted and talking about their own things. No one was even looking at the pair.

"What's up, Blake?" Jaune asked, curious as to why she pulled him to the side.

"Quiet," Blake calmly hushed. "Are you still on for this weekend?"

"Yeah," Jaune confirmed. "Pyr and I took care of what was on the list. All we need are the streamers. I think Ren said he'd get them soon."

"Okay, good," Blake nodded, liking that things were going to plan. "We'll pay you back. We just can't keep anything at our house. Ruby's actually really good at finding things she shouldn't."

"We totally get it, Blake," Jaune reassured, his voice low. "Do you have all the ingredients yet?"

"Weiss and Yang dropped by the store to get them yesterday," Blake informed in a whisper. She tried not to lean in, otherwise, she might attract unwanted attention. "You got the costumes covered, right?"

"Of course, that's like the main thing," Jaune replied evenly. "Nora went crazy with that. Do you think Ruby has any idea?"

Fondly, Blake looked to Ruby, who was eagerly chatting with Nora.

"She has no clue. Unless someone lets it slip."

"Nora's been pretty good at keeping quiet," Jaune observed. "She's not good at surprises, but she's been holding back."

"I'm proud of her," Blake stated with a smile.

Offhandedly, Blake picked up Nora and Ruby's conversation.

"How did t-rex's itch their backs?" Ruby asked, her voice suggesting she was genuinely interested in the mystery. "Their arms are too small and short to do it themselves."

Nora hummed in confusion. "They must've skipped arm day every day."

"Do you have a theory?" Ruby asked, interested. "They could take down tons of other dinosaurs, but how the heck would they handle a little itch on their backs?"

"Let's see," Nora looked like she was contemplating life. "They can't rub on any trees or rocks since they're so big! Anything they rubbed on would fall over," that earned a nod of agreement. "Animals like bears and pandas itch their butts with rocks and trees, so that fixes that, but what about the poor t-rex's?"

"Maybe it flopped on the ground like a fish?" Ruby suggested, unsure. "Or like how some elephants bathe in mud? But then wouldn't t-rex's be stuck on their backs because their weak arms can't push them up?"

"They have strong tails," Nora pointed out, which earned a hum of agreement. "And strong feet to slap themselves up."

For a moment, the pair tried to imagine a giant t-rex rolling on the ground and struggling to push itself back up. That caused them to giggle a bit.

Jaune had heard that entire bit and whispered to Pyrrha. "What the heck are they talking about?"

Pyrrha just sighed and pat his shoulder. "Don't worry about it."

Ren shook his head in disapproval. "This isn't the weirdest conversation she's ever had."

Finding that this was a strange, yet interesting topic, Weiss asked Blake. "Is your girlfriend okay?"

Despite the discussion being centered around Ruby and Nora, they remained oblivious and continued to chat.

Ruby stared at the pale wall in front of her to sink into deep thought. "Would the t-rex's mates try to itch their back?"

"No," Nora shook her head and shot that thought down. "Their arms are too short, so they couldn't scratch each other's backs normally. That's stupid. They had to do it somehow!"

"Maybe," Ruby continued with a suggestive tone. "They'd have to rub each other's backs... with their backs?"

"That sounds more believable," Nora shrugged in agreement. "Aw, that's kinda cute."

Yang, utterly dumbfounded from what she was hearing, asked. "Do you hear yourselves right now? How'd you even get on this topic?"

Ruby stared at the orange-haired girl. "How did we again?"

"I said something about reptiles and your mind jumped to dinosaurs… I think," Nora guessed, trying to search her brain for answers. "I can't remember. You're the one who wondered how a t-rex itched itself!"

"I saw a post on the internet about it!" Ruby exclaimed in exasperation. "You can't tell me that you're not interested!"

Nora nodded firmly. "I think our guess was perfectly accurate."

"There's no other explanation," Ruby happily agreed.

Yang heavily sighed. "You guys are-"

Something hard smacked the top of her head.

"-ow! What the hell was that for!?"

Thinking it was one of her friends, Yang angrily whirled around. Only to be met with a scowling, towering Glynda Goodwitch. Silently fuming, the professor pulled the blonde's ear and literally dragged her down the hallway as multiple yelps ensued.

Weiss was about to intervene, but she was not about to cross a pissed off Goodwitch. Maybe she just needed a word with her girlfriend. Hopefully she didn't find out about the 'borrowed' bones somehow.

Jaune stared at the display of the two blondes trudging down the hall with his mouth agape. "What was that about?"

He'd never seen a teacher act so violently with a student before.

"I wonder what she did this time," Pyrrha said.

Ruby, Weiss, and Blake glanced reassuringly amongst each other. There was an inkling that Glynda had found out about the bones, but that was unlikely. For now, they had to put up a front like nothing was wrong. Yang would tell them later.

"I'm sure it was nothing," Blake said casually.

Maybe a little too casually. Her comment earned confused stares.

Now in a corner, Glynda leered down at the confused Yang.

"What's wrong?!" Yang asked, still mad that she hit her and confused from what she wanted.

Cautiously, Glynda looked around to make sure the halls were clear. No students were around besides JNPR and the rest of RWBY.

When Glynda noticed it was fine, she glowered harshly at her and pushed up her glasses. The glasses reflected the light from the ceiling.

"Why'd you take Wanda, you buffoon?! Where is she?"

 _Shit,_ was Yang's immediate thought. _A stolen Wanda is a mad Goodwitch._

"H-how'd you find out?!" Yang yelped weakly, almost shrinking back from the steaming tower that was her professor.

 _At least she doesn't know about the bones,_ Yang thought, giving herself reassurance. _I think…_

"I track her," Goodwitch revealed and gestured to her watch.

Yang was taken aback from the information. "You track your broom?"

"Wanda is dear to me," Glynda stated firmly. "How would you feel if I took your brass knuckles?" she quipped with a scowl. Yang remained silent. She wouldn't like that at all. "Give her back. Now."

Anxiously, Yang bit her bottom lip and her face softened. Before, it'd been tense. The sudden change caused Glynda to be intrigued.

"Can I keep her until after Halloween?" Yang asked nicely.

The request caused Glynda to scoff in annoyance. "What're you planning?"

Yang spoke with sincerity. Based on the softened lilac eyes, she meant every word.

"I just want Ruby to have a really good birthday…"

Before, Glynda had assumed Yang took her broom out of spite or to tease her. The thought of good intentions never crossed her mind.

Goodwitch had known Ruby and Yang since they were children, so she knew how deep their bond ran. How they would do anything for each other.

Yang probably just wanted to make this the best birthday for her little sister ever. To do that, she might need the magical broom.

Reluctantly, Glynda relented after a heavy sigh.

"Fine. Next time, ask me when you want to use her."

"I will," Yang grinned. "Thank you."

Now that Goodwitch had some time to cool off, she crossed her arms with a feigned scowl. "Moronic buffoon."

"Love you, too."

* * *

 **Yang didn't call her Goodbitch this time yay!**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	67. Halloween

**I HAVE OFFICIALLY MOVED TO AUSTIN! MY FIRST ADULT JOB STARTS NEXT WEEK. MY NEW APARTMENT IS DOPE. RWBY VOL7 IS AWESOME. LIFE IS GOOD.**

* * *

"Trick or treat!"

The laughter of giddy children ensued when Taiyang jiggled the bin full of candy. Either that elicited the giggles or his punny costume did. He wore a cut out piece of toast and dressed like a french man with a beret hat and a striped top.

"You get a reese's, you get a reese's," Taiyang handed out the large candies one by one as he addressed each giddy child. "You all get yummy candies!"

"Thanks, mister!" a little boy dressed as a ghost said.

"Go have fun now!" Taiyang grinned. "You need to get aaaaall the candy you can before it's time to go home!"

From the delicious thought, the group of children waddled down the driveway and returned to their waiting parents on the street.

When they left, Taiyang shut the door behind him and returned inside his home. He sauntered in the kitchen and heard a low growl.

"Zwei, it's just me."

But Zwei wasn't looking at his owner. He was staring at nothing and continued to growl lowly. The corgi's ears were pointed up and he was in a defensive position. Like he was about to pounce on something.

"What is with you?" Taiyang asked, confused.

It was then that Yang walked into the room with a lion mask hanging around her neck. She chose to keep it simple this year and adorned her normal yellow clothes with a tail with a tuft attached behind her. Her blonde mane was more wild than usual to fit the part.

"Eh, I'm sure it's nothin'," Yang brushed off.

What intrigued her was that there were two little black masses directly in front of her dog. Grimm had never appeared in her house before. Perhaps their presences were due to the full moon of Halloween. Yang didn't know. She didn't even know that Zwei could see grimm. Apparently, he could since his beady eyes never left the forms of darkness.

Before the blonde could whisk him away to safety, Weiss swooped in as she glared at the beowolf cubs.

That did little to deter the mini grimm. They were play wrestling with each other and didn't mind anyone else. Before, the dark pair had challenged Zwei. Now that he was away from them, they couldn't care less.

Weiss whispered in Zwei's ear. "Don't let the grimm bother you."

A tiny huff.

In response, Weiss kissed him on the forehead. That earned a lick on her cheek.

"You look great, by the way," Yang mentioned with a blush.

The compliment cased azure eyes to soften. For Halloween, Weiss chose to wear a kimono meant for a priestess. The top was white while the bottom was red. A red bow tied over her waist and the engraved silver locket dangled over her chest.

She figured she might as well dress the part.

"And you truly look like a lion, Yang," the priestess smiled, her own blush forming.

"Ahem," Taiyang interjected with a fake cough. "What about me?" he asked as he leaned over the counter, expectant.

"French toast," Weiss deadpanned in a monotone voice. "We get it."

From her lack of reaction, Taiyang frowned. "Aw, I thought it was clever."

"I think it's hilarious," Yang offered a small giggle.

"If you think that's funny, check out what I got for Zwei," Taiyang said giddily as he opened a drawer. After pulling out the giant letter 'O,' he walked over to Weiss, who held the corgi out.

Carefully, Tai placed the 'O' over his dog, and Weiss set him down on the wooden floor.

"Get it?" Taiyang asked.

The freezerburn couple just stared at the corgi's costume. From having this much attention on him, Zwei wagged his tail relentlessly.

It took Yang a few seconds, but she understood. "Oh, I get it! Doggo!"

"Yep!" Taiyang confirmed.

Weiss just pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Don't like it, princ-priestess?" Yang asked jokingly.

"I expected something more clever," Weiss sighed.

"Shots fired," Yang said as she looked at her father.

Taiyang just shrugged, not at all taking offense to that. "I tried."

Yang beamed a smile. "That's really all you can do."

* * *

"You sure you don't want to trick or treat?"

"Yes, Blake," Ruby said for what felt like the thousandth time. "I'm just happy to spend time with my beautiful girlfriend!"

A blush formed on Blake's cheeks. "Alright, alright. Okay, my rose."

It was a little chilly outside since it was night time. All the ladybug pair wanted to do was stroll around the neighborhood. What seemed like hundreds of kids roamed around with adult supervision. Various giggles and chatters filled the air as the couple held hands and wandered aimlessly.

The moon was full and beamed down on the surface. Blake's night vision wasn't needed since the rays were so street lights weren't even needed. There was something about the atmosphere on Halloween.

Not to mention…

"Happy birthday," Blake said with a smile. She'd said that probably a hundred times and showed no signs of stopping.

"It's the best birthday ever!" Ruby chirped happily as she walked with a skip in her step.

Blake smirked from the comment, _If only you knew what we have planned._

Ruby's rosy cape fluttered behind her in the wind. Since she loved the color red, she decided to be little red riding hood this year. The crimson hood was over her head, and her red flats sparkled under the moonlight.

"Thanks for being part of it," Ruby said sweetly. "Again."

From a sudden breeze, Blake held onto her purple witch hat. Draped over her was a long, violet t-shirt dress that covered her knees that hugged her form. To fit the part, Yang let her borrow the magical broom Wanda. Since the faunus didn't want to hold it, she strapped it around her back.

Undoubtedly, Blake was the most attractive witch Ruby had ever seen.

Fondly, the faunus squeezed her girlfriend's hand. "I love you."

That earned a wide grin. Ruby's smile put the shimmering stars to shame. "I love you, too."

There was a moment of silence before Ruby continued.

"Hey, Blake?" Ruby asked, her tone hesitant.

"Yes, my sweet rose?"

"Can we ride on the broom pretty please?" Ruby used her twinkling puppy dog eyes.

Little did she know, that wasn't needed. Since it was her birthday, Blake was willing to do anything to make her happy.

"That was the plan."

* * *

After Jaune finished handing out candy to the children, he casually looked to the sky.

Over the forestry, two black figures soared in the dark night. There was a thin line beneath the forms. The moment the pair silhouetted against the moon, Jaune squinted to get a better look. To check if he was seeing things.

He rubbed his eyes, careful not to smear the three freckles drawn on each of his cheeks. He was in utter disbelief of what he was seeing.

"Oh," Jaune breathed. "I'm dreaming again."

Since he was dreaming, Jaune pinched himself with his black gloves. He felt it, but he still wasn't convinced.

Without warning, Yang slapped his back, which had little effect. "Whatcha lookin' at?"

"Nothing, this is just a dream."

Wondering what he was talking about, Yang glared at the sky. Sure enough, there were two blobs of darkness. The only reason why Yang knew that it wasn't grimm was the lack of red eyes. That could only be her friends.

"Oh…" Yang mumbled to herself. She wondered if she should text Blake to go to a more secluded area. Based on their movements, the ladybug pair was heading away from civilization. Texting to warn them wouldn't do anything, either. Whoever was driving wasn't going to casually look at their phone while they were hundreds of feet in the sky. "Don't text while _brooming_."

"What?" Jaune asked, even more confused.

From the joke, Yang laughed to herself. She had a knack for cracking herself up. Weiss had been there long enough to hear the lame joke and appeared by her side.

"Ruby and Blake are such dunces."

"Yep," Yang agreed without hesitation.

"You are, too," Weiss deadpanned, some sweetness in her tone.

"I know."

At least she accepted it.

Jaune tilted his head like a golden retriever puppy. His blonde hair was a stark contrast to the black turtle neck and dark gray pants he adorned. "What do they have to do with this?"

"Nothing," Weiss replied curtly. "Come on, we have things to accomplish."

Since Blake's job was to distract Ruby, they had to hurry. Besides, might as well get Jaune away from the supernatural sight. Still, it's not like he'd figure out that magical flying brooms exist.

"Alright," Jaune agreed.

With that, the trio returned inside.

The living room had been covered in rainbow streamers. Occasionally, Zwei would try to nip at the dangling streamers. Every time, Tai would have to coax him away, which was difficult considering the streamers were scattered everywhere on the main floor.

Wondering what to do next, Pyrrha approached the group.

"We finished putting up the streamers," Pyrrha reported. "Are the balloons next?"

"Yeah," Jaune replied with a smile. "Here, I'll help."

Together, they pulled out a couple of plastic bags full of multicolored balloons. It was strange to see them like this, but not in a bad way. This year, Jaune and Pyrrha went for a couples costume. To match Jaune, Pyrrha adorned light green, baggy cargo pants and a black crop top. Her fiery red hair flowed over her form. The sight was truly mesmerizing.

They were Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable. Since they'd both watched the show growing up, they figured why not?

The house was a little rowdy thanks to Nora's occasional shouting. From the sounds of it, she was struggling to touch something high up since she was short.

"Yang! Weiss!" Taiyang called from the kitchen. "Help me out here, would ya?"

"Kay," Yang easily replied.

Together, the freezerburn pair joined Taiyang at the counter. A large bowl was resting on the powdery granite and smelled very sweet. Multiple ingredients were mixed in like eggs, milk, sugar, and seasoning.

"Mix that," Taiyang set the whisk on the counter. "I'm going to help Nora for a sec."

"Good luck," Weiss said happily, glad to be of help. She picked up the whisk and glanced around, searching for a sweet spice Ruby was bound to love.

Knowing what she wanted, Yang opened the cabinet to retrieve the pumpkin pie spice before handing it to her girlfriend. "Here ya go!"

"Thank you," Weiss simply replied and drizzled it over the multiple ingredients with care, making sure not to use too much.

"Looks good," Yang observed.

With Yang's approval, Weiss stirred the mixture.

"We need more duct tape!" Nora shouted from the living room.

Instantly, Yang called back. "On it!"

Nora and Ren had been busy setting up the banner in the other room directly in front of the front door. It was large and had the words 'happy birthday' emblazoned on it. The whole thing was red and the letters were a bolded white.

"That's it, Ren," Nora encouraged as he stood on his tip toes. From trying to reach the ceiling without help, her pesky white hat with a red plus kept falling off, so Ren offered to help. "That's it…"

Successfully, Ren stuck the string to the ceiling. When he backed off, the banner stayed up successfully.

"Yes!" Ren cheered as his stethoscope around his neck wiggled a bit. "It might stay now."

"Good going, Ren," Nora praised. "It's better safe than sorry."

"Good point."

In seconds, Yang appeared with neon pink duct tape and handed it to Ren. "Here ya go. The banner's looking good!"

"Thank you, thank you," Ren mocked a bow.

"Ren mostly did it," Nora informed with a smile. "I'm too short. Anything else ya need?"

"Help Jaune and Pyrrha with the balloons," Yang advised. Just after she said that, there was a loud pop that rang out, followed by a bashful, "oops."

After Yang playfully rolled her eyes at the sheepish Jaune, she focused on Ren and Nora. "We need a lot of balloons, so get your butts in gear!"

"Aye, aye!"

After that, the three returned to their respective duties. By this point, Weiss was done stirring the ingredients together. The result was a light brown mixture that smelled delectably sweet. Weiss didn't even like sweets and she was tempted to lick off the whisk.

Noticing her conflicted expression, Yang casually grabbed the whisk from her and licked it. The substance was very sweet, which caused her to grin. Her grin increased tenfold when she noticed Weiss' playful glower.

"What?" Yang asked, egging her on.

"Brute, don't do that it's not sanitary," Weiss gently chided.

"You're done with it, right?" Yang held out the whisk to her face. "Come on. You know you wanna."

As Yang slowly inched the whisk closer to her face, Weiss smelled more of the deliciousness. It was too much to resist and she gave it a hesitant lick.

"Well?" Yang asked in anticipation.

"It's not bad."

"Right?"

Lovingly, Yang pecked her girlfriend's cheek that quickly turned crimson.

"Hey, Weiss," Yang whispered, which caused her to lean in to hear her. " _Pie_ love you very much."

"Brute," the priestess pecked her cheek.

After that, Yang grabbed the bowl. Carefully, she poured the light brown substance into the round pan. It already had the bland yellow crust surrounding the perimeter. According to Taiyang, making the crust was the toughest part, so he went ahead and handled that.

After the mixture was safely in the pan, Yang placed it in the oven and set the timer. Thankfully, her father had already preheated the oven.

"Alright, pie's done!" Yang announced to the room. "We just have to wait for it to bake!"

"Great!" from the news, Jaune set a red balloon on the table. "Come help us out then."

"Yeah, yeah," Yang waved off.

Together, there was a total of seven people now blowing up balloons. Lots of them were scattered on the floor and several floated to the ceiling.

Zwei was having a field day and dove into the pile. He didn't try to pop them, so they let him do as he please.

"Ruby's gonna be so surprised," Yang said happily as she slapped a balloon to the floor.

Instantly, Zwei intercepted it and began to tackle the mid-air balloon.

"That dolt might have an aneurysm," Weiss mentioned with a smirk.

Nora gave them a thumbs up. "Worth it!"

Taiyang laughed from that. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't kill my daughter."

"No promises!" Nora chirped.

As the friends conversed, Taiyang looked over to Weiss, who'd just finished tying a balloon.

"How's your new living arrangement?" Tai asked, curious. He hadn't heard much about it from her herself. His daughters tried to fill him in on things, but he wanted to know how it was from her personally.

"I love it," Weiss said fondly, unable to hold back the smile. "Klein has done a lot for me, so I've always seen him as my father. The papers make it official."

"That's good to hear," Taiyang replied, relief in his tone. He'd been worried since it was such an abrupt change, but she seemed to be faring well. "I'm sorry about Jacques," he sighed from the thought of him. "I never really liked him."

Yang perked an amused brow. "I don't think anyone did."

Weiss couldn't help but nod in agreement. "He was… difficult to say the least."

Yang playfully rolled her eyes. "That's one way of puttin' it."

After the blonde said that, her phone buzzed loudly on the table. Her friends stopped what they were doing as she eagerly grabbed it and read the text out loud.

"It's from Blake," this caused everyone to lean in with anticipation. "She says that they're almost here."

Taiyang clapped his hands together. "Clean up, let's go, let's go!"

Any leftover decorations that hadn't been used were quickly stuffed away and hidden from sight. Nora had taken the liberty of grabbing the dozens of unused balloons and stuffed them in a kitchen cabinet.

Tai made a mental note to clean that out later.

While they scampered around to hide the leftover items, Zwei ran around, trying to tag along.

Taiyang had never seen a group of kids work so fast.

When that was done, Yang searched around, finding the decorations were perfect.

"Everyone hide!" Yang yelled.

Together, JNPR, Weiss, and Yang hid behind the tables and counters. In a rush, Taiyang flicked off the lights and stayed hidden behind the front door. This way, when it opened, Ruby wouldn't see him.

It was quiet for a few seconds in the darkness.

In a low voice, Nora whispered. "Toot."

Weiss gave her an unamused look. "What are you? Five?"

"I'm six, thank you very much," Nora replied with a feigned huff.

"Guys," Yang broke the silence. "Keep your eyes on the _pies_."

Multiple groans. Except Taiyang chuckled a bit.

" _Pie_ beg your pardon!" Taiyang replied with a wry grin.

More groans.

"Boo!" Nora exclaimed.

Ren heavily sighed. "Hurry up, Blake and Ruby…"

"Okay, okay," Yang conceded. "We'll keep it quiet…"

Sighs of relief.

"... I have a good _filling_ about this," Yang finished.

"Shut up!" Jaune yelped. "Someone apprehend her!"

"She's unstoppable!" Nora exclaimed.

Playfully, Weiss flicked her girlfriend's forehead. "That was a breach of _crust._ "

"I love you," Yang instantly said.

"I know."

Several minutes past in silence. It was taking longer than they thought. Before, they crouched, but now everyone was sitting on the wooden floor. Only Zwei's eager pants filled the air.

"Let's scare the crap outta her," Yang suggested.

"Ruby doesn't scare easily," Pyrrha pointed out.

"When her guard is completely down, she does," Yang replied knowingly. "Blakey, on the other hand, is fearless."

Nora grinned from the thought of scaring the cat faunus. "Challenge accepted."

Suddenly, the door creaked open. This caused them to shut their mouths, their hearts pumping.

A gust of cold air wafted inside as the moon's rays crept through.

The moment a sparkling red shoe stepped inside, Taiyang flipped on the lights. Everyone jumped from their hiding spots and yelled in unison:

"Surprise!"

* * *

 **Cuuuute.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	68. Happy Birthday!

"Happy birthday!"

Before, Ruby thought that this day couldn't get any better. After all, she got to spend her entire birthday on Halloween with her girlfriend. It was like a dream come true. Yet, as she walked through the door, she was proven that her night could get even better.

Blake leaned into her ear when she hadn't said anything. "Well?"

Ruby's mouth was hanging open. Seeing all her friends surrounded by a barrage of streamers, balloons, and a birthday banner was mind-blowing and stunning. The room was decorated in beautiful colors and her friends' costumes really pulled everything together.

What surprised Ruby the most was that she had no idea about this. Normally, someone would spill the beans. Usually, it'd be the extroverts like Nora or Yang, but they hadn't uttered a word of this. Happiness overflowed her very being.

Before Ruby realized it, her eyes watered.

From the sudden redness, Yang was concerned. "Oh no," she mumbled. "No, Rubes don't cry! Anything but crying!"

Fondly, Blake squeezed her hand. "Do you like it?"

"Is that even a question?!" Any traces of tears vanished as Ruby reeled her girlfriend in for a tight hug.

"Aw," Yang couldn't help but coo.

Right after, Ruby bolted to her friends and tackled them in a hug. This earned multiple yelps and laughs as she tried to wrap her arms around everyone.

Nora giggled a bit as she was squeezed by her iron grip. "It was hard to keep my mouth shut about it."

Ren smiled. "You somehow did it."

"Good job, Nora," Ruby chirped. "I didn't suspect a thing."

When they separated, Ruby got to examine their costumes. She held her chin in thought as she stared at Yang and Weiss. From her curious expression, Yang placed the mask over her face.

"A lion and a priestess," Ruby mentioned with a quirk of her brow. "How clever."

"Of course," Weiss casually replied.

"Rawr," Yang said softly.

Pyrrha and Jaune adorned black shirts with baggy cargo pants. Based on their hair color and clothing, Ruby easily guessed what they were from the remnants of her childhood.

"You're Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable."

Pyrrha nodded firmly. "It's all in the hair."

Yang sassily flipped her hair. "You're tellin' me."

Ruby giggled as she stared at the duo. "I think the personalities fit, too."

Jaune sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "They do, don't they?"

When she was done checking out their costumes, Ruby pointed at Nora and Ren.

"You're a nurse and a doctor!"

"Yep!" Nora confirmed.

Ren smiled from how giddy she was. "It was her idea."

"It's cute," Ruby commented with a smile. After she said that, Zwei began to paw at her legs. "Aw," she cooed as she bent down to pet her dog between his broad ears. "You even have a costume on!"

There was a giant white 'O' around his form as he panted eagerly.

"Doggo," Yang informed with a grin.

"Good idea, Dad," Ruby gave him a thumbs up. Every year, Ruby, Blake, Yang, and Tai took turns with the dog's costume. This year, Tai kept it simple. When Ruby got a good look at her Dad, she almost groaned. "You're french toast, aren't you?"

"It's the best breakfast ever!" Taiyang chimed.

Without thought, Nora blurted. "Pancakes! Pancakes are the best!"

Jokingly, Taiyang crossed his arms and glared at her. "You wanna fight?"

"Okaaay," Yang interjected and got between the two. She knew that they were only joking, but with Nora's passion for pancakes, she wasn't going to take any chances. "I'm gonna stop ya right there. Dad, you really don't want to fight her. Trust me."

"Let me at 'em!" Nora almost roared as Ren held her arm back to stop her from advancing.

In response, Tai chuckled a bit and Nora jokingly calmed down. With an epiphany, Tai looked to Ruby.

"Oh, before I forget, I'll let you drink if you want. You're seventeen now, so I won't stop you."

All her friends gazed at the red-caped girl, expectant. Last year, Tai offered her a drink as well, but she turned it down. She'd never been curious about alcohol, but now there was a tinge of interest in the substance. Maybe it was from watching all her friends drink on occasion. Eh, the reason didn't matter. Ruby figured there was no harm in a few sips. Plus, her dad offered. She had permission!

"Why not?" Ruby said happily.

"Go Rubes!" Yang said in approval.

Weiss almost frowned. "That dolt is uncontrollable after drinking some soda or coffee and you all want to get her intoxicated?"

"Hell yeah!" Nora beamed in triumph.

Pyrrha just shrugged. "If she is going to drink, she may as well do it in the safety of her home."

Meanwhile, Blake was intrigued by her lover's choice. She'd never seen an intoxicated Ruby before. The faunus was pretty sure she'd never drank a sip of alcohol in her life. Because of this, Blake looked forward to seeing a new side of her.

"Alright!" Taiyang exclaimed. He pulled out a few glass bottles from the fridge and set them on the counter. "Here, I got you some in case you accepted."

Eagerly, Ruby swiped a bottle and read the label. "Chocolate cherry cider?"

"Oh that's a good one," Yang said, jealous that her sister got to drink it.

Taiyang adorned a sunny smile. "You like chocolate, cherries, and cider, so I figured you'd like it!"

Since she had permission, Ruby popped off the cap and took a sip. Her friends leaned in with anticipation, wondering what the verdict will be.

"Ohmygoshit'ssogood!" Ruby exclaimed as she stared at the glass bottle like it was an artwork masterpiece. "Good pick, Dad."

Happily, Ruby let Blake try a sip. The faunus hummed in pleasure. The drink was sweet. Just like her girlfriend.

"Dad wasn't _lion_ ," Yang said after she put on her mask. "Eh?"

Multiple groans.

"Yang," Ruby addressed sweetly, yet forcefully. "It's my birthday and my only request is that you make no puns."

"What?!" Yang blurted like that wasn't possible.

Weiss smirked as she playfully nudged the blonde. "You heard her."

With a frown, Yang took off her mask and let it dangle around her neck. "Ugh fine. Looks like you guys are off the hook for one night, but only one night."

"Thank god," Nora breathed in relief.

"Oh shut up they're not that bad," Yang retorted with a smug grin.

Nora playfully poked her shoulder. "They're in bad taste."

"Are not!"

"Are too."

"Are not!"

"Are too!"

While they pointlessly argued, Weiss placed a hand on Ruby's shoulder. This grabbed her friend's attention. "Dad says happy birthday."

After Ruby took another swig, she smiled. "Aw, Klein's so sweet. Tell him I said thanks!"

"I will, dolt," Weiss said happily. "What's one thing you want to do tonight?"

"Eat all the sweets!" Ruby beamed instantly and leaned in almost threateningly. "There _are_ sweets, right?"

"O-of course!" Weiss stammered, not expecting her friend to get so close to her face. "What's a birthday without sweets? Especially yours?"

Ruby placed her hands firmly on her hips. "Exactly!"

In the distance, the oven beeped loudly. Zwei barked once in response, making sure to alert everyone just in case they missed it. Sometimes Taiyang would fail to hear it.

Ruby had been so wrapped up in everything she never stopped to question the sweet delicious aroma that lingered through the entire house.

Ruby's mouth almost drooled from the realization. "Is that…"

After putting on oven mittens, Taiyang slid the food out of the oven. "Your favorite!"

In a rush, Ruby darted over to see what was in the pan. It was a fluffy light brown mix with pale yellow crust around the pan. It could only be one thing.

"Pumpkin pie!"

In her haste, Ruby didn't even grab a utensil and almost stuck her finger in it, but her father stopped her. "Uh, uh, ahhhh, let me get the candles first."

"Fiiiiine," Ruby relented. It wasn't the same without candles!

While Tai handled that, everyone sat at the table or at the island on the stools. Luckily, there was just enough room for the eight of them.

"Did you guys make it?" Ruby asked after she swallowed a good amount of the glass bottle.

Yang nodded. "Me, princess, and Dad did. They handled the decorations," she pointed at JNPR, who were all sitting at the table.

Carefully, Taiyang set the pie in front of his giddy daughter. It was steaming of warmth and had seventeen lit candles on top.

"I bet it'll be yummy," Ruby beamed.

Wittingly, Nora took the lead when they began to sing the birthday song. Even Zwei joined in and howled from the beat. To complete it, Yang added the "cha, cha, cha," at the end.

When that was done, Ruby took a deep breath and blew out all of the candles successfully.

Curious, Blake asked. "What'd you wish for?"

"That we safely get all the relics!" Ruby blurted.

"What?" Jaune asked, confused.

Quickly, Weiss covered for her. "It looks like the alcohol is getting to you."

That wasn't a lie, merely an observation. Ruby's cheeks were rosy and she picked up the glass bottle before tilting it to her lips. Her friends and father leaned in with anticipation when she didn't let up and kept swallowing the liquid.

"Chug, chug, chug!" Nora cheered.

Pyrrha facepalmed. "Don't encourage her."

After a loud slurp, Ruby slammed the bottle on the table. "Another! And a piece of pie, please!"

"You got it, birthday girl," Yang sent her flushed sister a wink. Since it was Ruby's day, she figured she could drink some more. Yang took a mental note to cut her off at some point, but right now Ruby was harmlessly tipsy. Another couldn't hurt. Happily, Yang grabbed another bottle from the fridge and popped off the cap before sliding it over to Ruby.

"Here ya go, Rubes. Try to pace yourself."

"Gotcha," before Ruby took another sip, she offered Yang a slanted, goofy grin.

The sight caused Blake to almost laugh. Her girlfriend was such a lightweight. Never drinking before probably helped.

Eventually, everyone received a piece of pie. When everyone had their portion, Ruby allowed herself to dig in.

"Soooo gooooood," Ruby's mouth was watering. "I can't believe you guys made this! Yang usually sucks at making stuff."

"Hey now," the blonde said in defense. "I can make some things!"

"Toast doezn't count!" Ruby exclaimed.

"Shit," Yang muttered under her breath.

This caused multiple laughs to ring out.

"Here, Blake!" Ruby offered her fork full of pie. "Say 'ahh'"

"I have my own piece- oomph."

The faunus was cut off when Ruby playfully shoved it in her mouth.

"There ya go!" Ruby pat her on the back. "Better?"

Loudly, Blake gulped it down and sent her a smile. Make what better? Better cut her some slack. "I guess."

This was Ruby's night, so she was willing to put up with her drunkenness. It was quite endearing to watch.

A bark.

Ren set his fork on the plate. "I think he wants some."

"Awww, Zwei!" Ruby cooed and picked up a fork full of the light brown pie. "Open wide~"

"Ruby no," Blake tried to stop her, but it was too late.

Zewi bit down on her fork and swallowed the food whole. Ruby lingered there for a bit, letting him lick the remains of the fluff.

Ruby was about to use the same fork and put it in her own mouth, but Blake firmly grabbed her arm. "Hold on, I'll get you a new fork, okay?"

"Ohhh good idea! Thanks, you're the best!"

While Blake handled that, Ruby took another swig. Her second bottle was over half empty. The chocolate cherry cider tasted like it was sent from heaven. Even though it was from her own fridge.

When Jaune was done eating his pie, he asked. "When do you want to open your presents?"

After Blake handed Ruby the new fork, she took a bite. "Uhhhh, I don't wanna now. I wanna spend time with you guyz instead!"

"Fair enough," Jaune replied.

Yang smirked knowingly as she eyed the faunus. "I want to see what Blakey got you."

Since she was Ruby's girlfriend, the gift had to be something amazing, right? Yang had been curious all year. The faunus was notorious for giving thoughtful presents.

Like Ruby never thought about that, she gasped loudly.

"Blake! Wut'd you get dear old me?"

Blake glared at Yang. Oh, if looks could kill-

"You can open it if you want," Blake permitted. She didn't entirely mind. She was pretty sure she nailed this year's gift. Given how intoxicated Ruby was, she'd love it no matter what. Or she'd be brutally honest.

"Yes!" Ruby pumped her fist in victory. "Where is it? Wherewherewhere?"

Earlier, Weiss had spotted the large gift bag on the table, so she got up from her seat to fetch it. She came back and placed it in front of her friend. Silver eyes went wide.

"Wooooow, I love it!"

That earned a few giggles.

"Ruby, you haven't opened it yet," Blake laughed.

"Oh."

Eagerly, Ruby tore off the colorful tissue papers and pulled out the first thing that her fingers touched. It was a warm box that was labeled 'Insomnia Cookies.'

"Cookies from my favurite place!" Ruby beamed as she opened the box. There were four decently large and delectably warm cookies inside. "And they're all chocolate chip!"

"Your absolute favorite," the faunus smiled.

"Best present ever!"

"There's more," Blake informed, which caused silver eyes to widen even bigger.

"No way!" Ruby yelped, exasperated that there was a part two. Like that wasn't possible.

"Way," Blake replied with a grin.

Yang smirked. "You're killin' it so far."

With glee, Ruby yanked out the next thing she touched. It was a soft, wool material. The red fabric poured out of the bag as Ruby kept pulling on it. "It's a huuuuge shirt!" was all her cloudy mind could think of.

Blake laughed from the poor guess and held it out for everyone to see. "It's a blanket."

A very large, warm blanket. On the front, there was black cat curled around a black rose. The two took up most of the space and were surrounded by a blazing crimson.

"Holy shit," Yang breathed from the fantastic art piece.

"Woah," Ren murmured, his jaw hanging open.

In disbelief, Weiss asked. "Did you make that?"

Blake nodded. "Took me several months and many delayed homework assignments."

Taiyang smiled as he brushed his fingers along the material. "Impressive work, Blake."

The compliments definitely made Blake's day, but to her, their opinions didn't matter. She only cared about her girlfriend's.

Without warning, Ruby draped her arms around her girlfriend. "I love it! Thank you. I can't believe you spent sooo much time on it for me!"

"Of course I did. It was for you, after all," Blake said softly as she wrapped the symbolic blanket around her girlfriend's shoulders.

Eagerly, Ruby adjusted the blanket that touched the wooden floor and wrapped it around herself tightly. After, stuck her hand in the bag again. When she yanked out the blanket, she felt a harder material inside, so she searched for it.

It was a picture frame that was surrounded by glittering hearts. The picture inside was taken several years ago. It was a simple selfie that the pair had taken one day to capture the fond memory.

"Aw…" Ruby murmured, recalling that day.

"Remember that day?" Blake asked, sincere. "That was when we spent the entire day just lounging around together. We both got burnt."

"Ah, good times," Ruby murmured.

Blake nodded. "I looked over and for the first time... I realized that I love you. Not just in a family sense."

Dramatically, Taiyang placed a hand over his heart. "Ah god. So pure. My heart. Can't. Take it."

Ruby gasped from a realization. "Is that why you randomly asked for a picture back then?"

"Yeah…"

Due to her intoxication, Ruby was more prone to her emotions than usual. Her eyes watered as she pulled Blake in for another hug. Her chin rested on top of her shoulder as Blake held her close.

"Damn…" Yang muttered. "Way to show us up."

While the ladybug pair hugged, Blake whispered in Ruby's ear.

"The real present is tonight…"

Silver eyes widened from the insinuation. If Ruby wasn't redder than her cape before, she was now. Ruby went uncharacteristically quiet as her face heated up. She pulled away, meeting the faunus' sly gaze.

Curiously, Nora asked. "What'd you say? I think you broke her."

Blake offered her an innocent smile. "Nothing important."

That was when Ruby snapped out of it. She took another swig from the glass bottle and set it on the table. It almost fell over, but Blake caught it on time.

"There's so much love it makes me wanna run around!" Ruby blurted. Giddily, she hopped off her seat and ran around in circles like a dog chasing its tail. "Woooooo!"

However, this did little to entertain her for long as her friends watched with their mouths hanging open. Yep, now was the cut-off point. Without warning, Ruby darted out the door and left a trail rose petals in her wake. Everyone's jaws dropped from the sight. For a moment, Ruby was a blur and then she vanished.

"What the-" Taiyang said, trying to comprehend what happened. "I knew she was fast but not that fast!"

The front door was wide open, allowing the chilly air to breeze inside.

Knowing they couldn't leave her, Blake tossed the broom to Yang. She was a master at steering the magical Wanda. "You're better with her!"

"Got it!"

Quickly, Blake and Yang darted outside, intending to catch up to the plastered Ruby. Thankfully, her trail was easy to follow since the red was a zig-zag of drunkenness. Ruby couldn't stay in a straight line to save her life.

Not caring who was watching, Yang hopped on the broom and Blake leaped on behind.

"Doesn't this feel familiar?!" Yang yelped.

"Yeah!"

* * *

 **First a drunk Weiss and now a drunk Ruby? How fun.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	69. Thank You

After an exchange of firm handshakes, Ozpin smiled.

"My, you look just like Willow."

To her, that was a huge compliment. She didn't let that show with her pale poker face. The older woman with white hair stood in front of the pair of professors. Her stern expression didn't change as she crossed her arms.

The three were surrounded by ancient works of art and remained in relative silence.

"I didn't come here to talk about my mother," Winter informed solemnly. "I'm here to talk about Weiss and her team."

"Ms. Schnee," Glynda Goodwitch addressed evenly. "I assume Weiss has told you? Considering your presence in our temple."

Knowingly, Winter placed a hand on her hip. "I've known that Weiss could see 'demons' or grimm as she now calls them, since birth," she revealed. "Therefore, it is only natural that Weiss would keep me informed and up to date on her life in that regard."

Ozpin and Glynda shared reassuring glances.

"This is about the 'New World' as you all dubbed it," Winter said sternly, in deep thought. "My little sister has told me everything. From what I can discern, you are the guardians of her team, which is why I'm here. I'd like to have a word."

It's not like this information changed much. Winter had known about this since Weiss was a child. The professors saw no reason to not answer any questions she may have. In the past and now, Winter has kept quiet about her sister's secret her entire life. She had proven herself time and time again. Besides, it's not like Winter would tell people about the New World now. That wouldn't benefit anyone.

Ozpin confidently placed his hands on his hips. For once, there was no sign of his coffee. Except for the smell.

"What do you need to tell us?"

Goodwitch perked a blonde eyebrow from his phrasing. Before, she'd assumed that Winter had lots of questions. Now that she thought about it, Winter probably got all the answers she needed. The eldest of the Schnee siblings was here to tell them something, not ask questions.

"If Weiss were to get hurt, or any of her teammates for that matter, you'll answer to me," Winter stated firmly. She didn't give a crap about either of their statuses. When it came to her sister, Winter was always protective. "I wouldn't want either of you to let's say… lose your jobs."

Dead silence.

In frustration, Glynda crossed her arms after a low huff. "Are you threatening us?"

"No," Winter replied simply with a smug smirk. "It's a promise, Ms. Goodwitch."

Something inside Glynda audibly snapped. "Listen, you-"

Before she could go off on a lecture, Ozpin placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her down. After, the headmaster gazed at Winter, who adorned a poker face.

"Their safety is our top priority, I assure you," Ozpin informed levelly. "There's no need to resort to such… underhanded tactics."

Winter nodded firmly as she stared at both professors in a challenge. "I'm glad we have an understanding," she paused for a moment. "My sister admires both of you. I trust that you won't let them down when confronting Cinder, yes?"

Glynda glared at her with a soft scowl. "They may be relic hunters, but they're our students first and foremost. Given the opportunity, we'd sacrifice ourselves for them."

For a moment, Winter looked taken aback by that.

"Indeed," Ozpin agreed without hesitation. "That's especially true for me. I'm the reason they're hunting for the relics."

From him saying that, Winter's memory was jogged. "That's right…"

This was the man who couldn't die. Well, he could. He'd just be reincarnated. The only way for him to break free from the curse was to gather all the pieces of the relic and destroy them. Then his wish could be granted. He'd die for good, and team RWBY could go back to their normal lives.

"Headmaster Ozpin," Winter formally addressed. "It's been a pleasure. I sincerely hope you get your wish."

She didn't want him to die, but if that's what he wanted to be free, then she wished him the best. If things went successfully, Winter would never see this man again. He most likely wouldn't be around whenever she returned to Vale.

"As do I," Ozpin said firmly.

Winter nodded from that and pulled out her phone. Since Ozpin's plan was to die, she focused on Glynda.

"Please, give me your contact information," Winter said firmly, yet softly. "I'd like to stay updated."

Despite being threatened earlier, Glynda gave in. "Very well."

She understood that Winter was just worried for her sister.

The two exchanged numbers and Winter stated. "Only text me when it is urgent. This is my work phone."

"Alright."

That's when Winter pulled out a letter from her pocket and held it out.

"Please give this to Weiss," Winter said softly. "Unfortunately, I am needed back in Atlas as soon as possible and I don't have time to personally give this to her."

In annoyance, Glynda snatched the closed letter and slid it in her pocket. "Anything else while I'm at it? Perhaps you'd like some coffee?"

Winter caught the sass and smirked. "I'm a tea person myself, but thank you for the offer."

Goodwitch playfully rolled her eyes.

"Thank you," was all Winter said.

Ozpin chimed in. "Try not to worry so much. Team RWBY is exceptional."

"I'm aware," Winter replied evenly. "However, should things go awry, contact me. My military expertise may be of use."

It was a kind offer, one that she meant wholeheartedly. Honestly, Winter would drop everything to aid her sister. She would even abandon her precious work to help her out with something as dire as this.

To ease her nerves, Glynda nodded to show that she understood.

"Should we need your assistance, I will contact you."

"Hopefully, you won't have to."

* * *

On the balcony, there was a cold breeze.

Fondly, Yang and Weiss leaned in as their hands connected and their eyes closed.

Their lips grazed each other's at first. Like a butterfly kiss. So soft.

As they leaned into it, they locked firmly together like two pieces of a puzzle in passionate contact.

To Weiss, Yang tasted like how she smelled. Like lemonade.

To Yang, Weiss tasted like sweet peppermint. Like she just applied chapstick.

The two kissed and enjoyed each other's tastes for several seconds, not wanting to pull away. It was like this every time they kissed. They couldn't get enough of each other. Their scents were intoxicating in the best way.

The way Yang slowly slid her hands down to Weiss' hips. The way Weiss gently entangled her hands with Yang's wild hair.

The modest sun beamed on them calmly as the kiss became more firm before they separated with intense blushes. The sensual contact was something they'd never get used to. Even if they kissed a million times.

Timidly, Weiss set a finger over her lips as Yang stared at her, unable to pry her gaze away.

"T-that was nice," Weiss stammered, unable to keep her voice steady.

Her reaction was so adorable! Her flustered appearance made Yang think of a shy kitten!

Unable to help herself, Yang wrapped her strong arms around her girlfriend's form and squeezed.

"Ah, my girlfriend is soooo cute!" Yang cooed.

Weiss was in no way against the close contact. "Yang, what're you-"

Weiss was cut off when her feet were no longer on the ground. They dangled as Yang gently spun her around while giggling.

"Agh, put me down!"

But Yang didn't respond since she was too busy pecking her forehead repeatedly while spinning. Since Weiss had no chance against her iron grip, she resigned to her fate and stopped struggling. She allowed her girlfriend to have her fun, and when she went quiet and stopped yelping, Yang finally put her down.

"Wasn't that fun?" Yang asked with a smug grin.

Weiss teasingly placed her hands on her hips. "Are you not dizzy?"

"Eh, I did it to Rubes a lot," Yang shrugged. "Guess I'm used to it."

After Weiss smiled, she pecked her girlfriend's cheek. "Go on. Don't keep Ruby and Blake waiting."

"Yeah, yeah."

With that, Yang walked down the stairs. Her grin never left her face. Especially when she heard Weiss call.

"Bye, arm wrestling champion."

Before going home, Yang and Nora had a rematch. Yang had finally reclaimed her title and was more giddy than usual from that.

In victory, Yang held up one of her arms and flexed. "You're goddamn right!"

Playfully, Weiss rolled her eyes as she watched her girlfriend return to the ladybug pair. After Weiss twisted the knob, she went inside the apartment and was immediately greeted by Klein.

"Welcome home, snowflake. Was school fun?"

"Yang's the arm wrestling champion again," Weiss said happily. "Nora is definitely going to have to work for the next match."

"I know something that'll make your day even better!" Klein beamed with a wide grin. It was even wider than Yang's. If that was possible.

"You spoil me," Weiss said as she set her backpack on a chair at the table. "What is it?"

Happily, Klein held out a letter. "It's from Winter."

Yes, Weiss was ecstatic that she got a letter from her busy sister. Yet, there was a deep sinking feeling in her chest. This must've also meant that she had to leave Vale.

Eagerly, the priestess snatched the paper and read it.

 _Dear sister,_

 _My apologies for not delivering this to you personally. Unfortunately, I'm needed in Atlas._

Weiss' suspicions had been confirmed as she read on.

 _Thank you for telling me about the New World and your adventures with your team. You have no idea how much it means to me that you trust me with such sensitive information. I wish you luck with your confrontation with the half-demon. Should you need anything, write to me. If it is urgent, tell Ms. Goodwitch._

Glynda of all people? Weiss wondered why, but didn't question it right now.

 _Lean on your teammates and place your faith in them. Trust is the most important._

Ah, last-minute advice. It's not like she needed to be told that, but it was nice to be reminded by a loved one.

 _Remember to use mother's tiara and locket. They will ensure your team's victory._

 _I love you,_

 _Win_

Slowly, Weiss lowered the letter and was met with Klein's expectant gaze.

"It was under the door when I returned," Klein informed. "Did she already leave?"

"She did," Weiss said. She didn't sound sad, more like understanding. "She had to leave eventually."

"I'm glad you two got to catch up," Klein said softly in an attempt to cheer her up in case she was downcast.

That elicited a smile. "It was really nice to see her. I wish we could've said goodbye in person."

Klein sensed slight sadness in her tone and knew how to fix that. "I have other news."

"You're full of surprises today," Weiss observed.

"Indeed. I found a house that we can move into. You should start packing soon-"

He didn't get to finish his sentence when Weiss practically threw herself at him and wrapped him in a hug.

"Thank you."

No more words needed to be said.

All Klein did was return the embrace, happy that his snowflake was finally getting the life that she deserved.

* * *

 **Squeal**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	70. How Inconvenient

Leisurely, Yang leaned back on the cushiony couch with her hands behind her bed. She let out a sigh of content in the silence.

The teacher's lounge was pleasantly quiet. Normally, someone, cough cough, Ruby, would have caused a ruckus by now.

Outside, the birds didn't chirp. The window displayed eeriness. It was gray and dull. It was like the outside knew what it was like inside. It'd been a painfully slow day so far.

"Can lunch come any slower?" Yang whined.

Just across from her sat Blake, who leaned forward on the couch. "There's vending machines in here, you know. Get a snack instead of complaining."

"But Blaaaaakey!" Yang drawled teasingly. "It's not the same!"

Next to Yang was Weiss, who playfully rolled her eyes. "Eat some of your lunch early."

Having not thought of that, Yang perked a blonde brow. "Can you do that in the teacher's lounge?"

"Eat food?" Weiss asked, confused from her question.

Ruby crossed her arms with a knowing smirk. "That's a stupid question. You can do anything in the teacher's lounge. It's called the magical land for a reason."

In the corner of the room was Ms. Goodwitch, who stood next to the coffee maker. She'd been waiting for the water to heat up so she could get her energy boost for the day. She was there before her students walked in and made themselves at home.

"That's technically true," Glynda agreed. "Anything but possibly murder is permissible in the teacher's lounge."

That earned a smug grin from Yang. "Even stealing?" she egged her on, referring to the broom she 'borrowed' earlier.

"Just not Wanda, you buffoon," Glynda quipped dryly. "If you steal her again the punishment will not be swift and painless."

"Ooooh," Yang droned, feigning fright. "I'm so scared. Really."

Before Glynda could growl, Ruby chimed in.

"Thanks for letting us borrow Wanda, Glyn. Thanks to you, I had a lot of fun on my birthday."

From the comment, Blake sent her girlfriend a sly smirk. "You remember your birthday?"

The cat faunus adorned her signature sly smile, which caused Ruby to involuntarily blush. "W-ah of course I do!" the flustered girl twiddled her fingers together. "Just not all of it…"

When Yang caught her teacher's confused expression, she decided to fill her in.

"Rubes had a liiiiittle too much to drink."

The information caused Glynda to roll her eyes. Although truthfully, she was glad that her student had a good birthday.

From the memory of a hyper Ruby darting all over the place, Weiss almost laughed. "At least you couldn't run in a straight line. That made it easier for them to catch you."

"Oh man, Glyn," Yang began with a grin of mirth. "You should'a seen her! She randomly got the zoomies and used her semblance and ran outta the house!"

"There were rose petals everywhere," Blake informed fondly. "The only reason we caught her was because we had Wanda and the fact that she couldn't stay in a straight line. The trail was all zig-zagged!"

Together, Yang and Blake cracked up.

Yang fake wiped a tear. "It took us about a minute to drag her back on the broom."

"It wasn't a catastrophe, thankfully," Blake added.

Meanwhile, Ruby was left to pout. "Heeey! I wasn't that drunk!"

Yang sent her a deadpan expression. "You hit on Blake."

"So?" Ruby asked innocently. "She's my girlfriend."

"You asked her if she was single and when she said no, you cried," Yang finished with a wide grin.

She'd been waiting to tell Ruby that for what felt like ages. Ruby's reaction was totally worth the wait. Her cheeks heated up and became as red as her cape.

At the party, it took several minutes to calm down Ruby and to reassure her that everything was okay. That Ruby and Blake were a couple and that's why Blake wasn't single.

Ruby narrowed her eyes as she searched her brain for answers. Her mouth hung open as she stared at the smiling Blake. "I vaguely remember that. Didn't I try to hit on you again after that?"

"Yeah," Blake answered, amused. "Turns out you didn't care that I was taken."

"It was so precious," Yang said with a cheerful smile. "Almost more precious than when the princess asked for my number when she was drunk."

"I did no such thing," Weiss retorted.

Yang knowingly held up a finger. "Ah, ah, but you did! Your sugar waffle insists!"

Mildly irritated, Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'm never drinking again."

When the coffee was finished, Glynda grabbed her mug and sat next to her blonde student. "Such horrible influences. Need I remind you that Weiss fell asleep on this couch when she was hungover?"

From the reminder, Weiss scowled and looked at the floor in shame. That wasn't her proudest moment.

To comfort her girlfriend, Yang grabbed her hand. "I maintain that that was an accident."

The professor stared at Weiss in utter disbelief. "I still can't fathom how you chugged an entire Captain Morgan bottle in a few minutes."

"I thought it was really good tea!" Weiss poorly defended and pointed to the faunus. "She was very misleading!"

"Oh, so now it's my fault you can't read labels?" Blake shot back. "I see how it is."

"Okay," Weiss heavily sighed. "Moronic move on my part but at least I didn't use my semblance and ran out of the house," she sent Ruby a teasing glare.

"I didn't know what I was doing," Ruby admitted. "My drunk brain knew I had to run. Where? Who knows. I just had to go. The urge was real. At least until I smacked into a tree."

After a few chuckles, Goodwitch asked. "What presents did you receive?"

"Oh," Yang chirped. "How was Blake's blanket?"

"It kept me soooo warm," Ruby smiled happily, remembering the scent of Blake wrapped around her all night. Not only did the blanket keep her company, so did Blake herself. "It's the best blanket ever. Hands down."

"It was really soft and intricate," Yang agreed.

Glad that her friend liked the blanket, Weiss leaned in. "Have you had the chance to look at the scrapbook Yang and I made, Ruby?"

"Uhh…"

Blake answered for her. "We looked at it until she passed out."

That night, Blake used the gift as a bedtime story of sorts to lull Ruby to slumber. It worked like a charm. Ruby even fell asleep with a smile. Handmade gifts were always her favorite. They came from the heart.

"Honestly, I don't remember most of it," Ruby said with a sheepish grin. "I'll look at it again soon. Now that I can remember things."

"She loved it at the time," Blake reassured.

"I know. I heard both of your giggles from my room," Yang informed.

For most of the night, the ladybug pair was up and pointing at the pictures in the scrapbooks while they were cuddled up in Ruby's bed.

Despite being mildly annoyed at her students for underage drinking, Glynda was glad that they had a good night and that there were no bad consequences. "I'm glad you had a good birthday, Ruby. You're seventeen now?"

"Mhm," Ruby said proudly. "I'm old but not as old as these grandma's," she pointed to her team.

Playfully, Yang set a hand on her little sister's shoulder. "If we're grandma's, that makes Glyn a great-grandma!"

Goodwitch's rolled her eyes from the subtle jab. "At least I'm not older than Oz."

"True that," Yang replied. "He's a fossil."

Multiple laughs.

* * *

"If you were a fruit, you'd be a _fineapple_."

From the horrible attempt at flirting, Weiss lightly sighed. Despite herself, a light blush grazed her cheeks.

Not amused, Nora cupped her hands over her mouth. "Boo!"

"That doesn't even make sense," Weiss said in amusement.

"It doesn't have to," Yang shrugged, proud of the joke.

After a few moments of silence, Jaune spoke. "Where to next?"

For about an hour, team RWBY had been walking around Vale with their friends. It was a school day, so there wasn't too many people casually walking around. It was also chilly outside, so they didn't want to be out for much longer.

Having been silent, Ren chimed. "Why don't you pick?"

"The bakery it is!" Jaune reasoned. They were headed in that direction anyways.

Truthfully, that was the only reason why he tagged along. He wanted to hang out with his friends but also wanted to stuff his face. He was always hungry after school.

"Guys can eat truckloads of food," Blake mumbled.

"You're telling me," Nora chirped.

Pyrrha gave her a knowing look. "Says you."

"Only when it comes to pancakes," Nora pointed out. "Other foods are dead to me."

After she said that, the ground beneath them rumbled. It was almost like a mini earthquake. The concrete shuttered and caused a few people to be knocked off-balance. Luckily, team RWBY and their friends remained standing as multiple mumbles rang out.

"Woah!" Yang yelped as she glanced around, searching for the cause. "What the heck?"

Multiple chatters lingered. Undoubtedly, people were trying to figure out what was going on.

Typically, earthquakes didn't happen where they lived. Did a pipeline rupture? As soon as their adrenaline spiked, it vanished along with the rumbling.

"That was awesome!" Nora exclaimed. "Did the Earth get knocked off balance or something?"

Worried, Pyrrha suggested. "We should leave. I don't like this."

"Me neither," Ruby agreed.

 _That wasn't normal at all,_ Ruby thought. _That could've only been caused by something in the New World. That's the only logical explanation._

Knowing there was something wrong, Ruby held out her hands to keep her balance and braced her knees. As expected, the world shook again, which caused more startled gasps to pierce the air. As if that was another warning strike, people were now rushing to nearby areas to take cover. Smart.

"Ruby," Weiss said knowingly.

"Yeah."

 _Weiss caught on,_ Ruby thought. _Where is it?_

"Crap…" Blake mumbled, her tone suggesting she knew what was happening as well.

"What?" Yang asked, wanting to be sure. "What's goin' on?"

An ear-shattering roar. It was so loud that the air vibrated through their forms.

Quickly, the team whipped to look behind them. As expected, there was a large black mass that towered above. It was twice the size of any human. Its large canines were bared as the grimm pounded its fists into the ground, which caused more violent rumbles.

This caused RWBY's friends to yelp and fight to maintain their balance.

It was odd to see a beast like this in the city. It looked like a giant gorilla and was covered in black skin, with bone-like plates covering its body like armor. If there wasn't armor or black skin, there was 'burnt' skin, with an internal red glow visible within.

 _Woah,_ Ruby thought, in utter awe. _I've never seen anything like this grimm!_

The cat faunus stared at the beast with her mouth hanging open. It was true she was mildly intimidated, but she was more annoyed that this beast ruined their good time.

"How inconvenient."

For guidance, Weiss looked to Yang. "What is it? Is that a gorilla?"

"Holy shit," Yang cursed as she gawked at the beast. It pounded a fist into the ground again, smashing concrete like it was glass. "It's called a beringel."

"Why's it here?" Ruby asked, wanting answers.

 _Grimm don't normally show up in the city,_ Ruby observed. _It's targeting us._

"Beats me," the blonde replied.

Silver eyes narrowed, _did someone send it after us?_

Without giving her time to think, the massive grimm charged the group. Every step from its large feet and hands caused the ground to shake more violently as it neared its targets. The concrete was bashed in and left vicious imprints in its wake.

"It's coming," Blake said as she crouched to a defensive position.

Confused, Jaune asked. "What're you guys looking at?"

Nora tugged on her hair as she held onto Ren, trying not to fall over. "What's going on!? What's a beringel?!"

Ruby looked to her sister. Yang stared down at her. She had that determined look on her face.

"We'll get them out of the way," Ruby stated. "Can you distract it?"

"Heh," Yang adorned a sly smirk and popped her knuckles. "Watch me."

Instantly, Yang got into a starter's track position and shot off at the massive black mass. In her haste, her shoes left black markings on the ground.

She didn't even have time to slide on her brass knuckles. Yang just went for it and intercepted the angered beast with her bare hands. The impact was so forceful that a shockwave rippled from the clash.

Determined, Yang let out a war cry as her muscles screamed. This grimm was _way_ more powerful than she expected. With resolution, she grit her teeth hardly and let out a low growl as the grimm bellowed. The putrid breath wafted into her nostrils, which made her cringe in disgust.

Knowing they didn't have much time, the three remaining members of RWBY coaxed their friends inside a nearby building as they asked multiple questions. Yang was strong but couldn't last forever against the heap of muscles.

Before they could go help their teammate, Pyrrha called out. "Is there anything we can do to be useful?"

"Yeah," Ruby replied calmly. "Please stay here."

It was true that they had no idea what was going on but they trusted their friends.

"You heard her," Pyrrha said to her friends and stared at Ruby. "We'll stay out of your way."

"Thank you," was all Ruby said.

"Be careful," Jaune called after them.

After that, the team returned to the vacant street.

"Come on, tough guy! That all you got?!"

In response, the beringel loudly snorted.

Truth is, Yang was struggling and was still locked in a standstill with the gorilla.

Until it yanked away one of its giant arms from her iron grip. With no way to brace herself, Yang took the full force of the blow and careened into a nearby building. Her body plowed through a window. Specks of glass shattered and scattered all around her as she yelped. What ensued were several innocent screams from the suddenness of it all.

"Yang!" Instantly, Weiss headed for her girlfriend to check her over.

From experience, Weiss knew that Yang could handle a blow like that. That didn't make her worry any less. Before the grimm could leap after her, Ruby side-swiped it with her foot and kicked off the raging beast. The hit momentarily distracted it, which is what she was aiming for.

 _This thing's huge!_ Ruby thought. _The skin's like bone!_

It was very inconvenient that they didn't have their weapons. Normally, they'd bring them along but this was supposed to be another normal day in the city. It'd be hard to lug those around. To top it off, the team didn't know who was watching, so using semblances was risky.

At least Ruby was naturally fast. When the beringel vaulted after her in large strides, she headed away from the city, trying to think of a plan.

How could they take down a monster like this without weapons?

Adrenaline spiked as the gorilla almost grabbed her red cape.

"Woah!"

 _Think!_ Ruby chided herself. _We're not useless without our weapons and semblances, are we?_

Directly behind her, Blake flanked the beast. Without her weapon, she found it easier to glide faster. However, due to being so close it was hard to keep her balance. She felt more like she was flying rather than sprinting.

To aid her girlfriend, Blake tried to trip the beast to get it off her girlfriend's tail.

Every now and then, the grimm's minivan sized arm took a swing at her but Blake was simply too fast for it to land a direct hit.

Now that they were further away from the city, Ruby used her semblance whenever the monster was _very_ close to grabbing her cape. A tactic that seemed to piss it off even more.

Blake bit her bottom lip. Her girlfriend was fast but she couldn't keep this up forever.

A little ways behind them was Yang and Weiss. They watched helplessly, knowing that they couldn't catch up with the speed demon from this distance.

Unless…

"Yang," Weiss called, which grabbed her attention. "Throw me."

"What?!" Yang yelped. "Again?! Do you remember what happened last time?!"

A crushing blow against a deathstalker wasn't pleasant.

But Weiss had an idea.

"I have to touch it," Weiss reminded as she held up the bangle around her wrist that glowed. "Do it or Ruby might get hurt. Hurry, they can't get too far."

"Dammit!"

Despite herself, Yang knew her partner was totally right.

Hurriedly, Yang scooped her in her arms and twirled her around to hold her torso. With precision, she aimed the smaller girl like a football. Since the gorilla was almost the size of a truck, it was easy to see even at this distance. However, it was slowly becoming a black blob as more details faded. They had to act fast.

Firmly, Yang yanked her backward.

"Ready?"

"Now!"

"Go get 'em!"

With that, Yang hurled her partner forward like a javelin. It was so forceful that it left an air propulsion in its wake. Now that her partner was literally soaring, Yang hastily sprinted after her.

Weiss glided in the air like a white bullet. White streaks surrounded her form. Once she was halfway to the grimm, she activated a burst of white aura that exploded.

"Blake!" Weiss screeched. "Duck!"

Due to Blake's enhanced hearing, she heard Weiss' voice behind her. She didn't even turn around and just hit the ground as her friend whizzed over her. There was a sharp pierce in the air as Blake watched in awe before pouncing up and following.

At intense speeds, Weiss smashed directly into the 'burnt' skin on its back. It was like a durable rock had collided into a boulder. There was so much force behind the impact that the beast face planted. The grimm didn't even have a chance to retaliate as it shrieked in a fury. The white had already engulfed its burning black form like a virus that corrupted its body.

Casually, Weiss sat on top of the withering dark heap like it was her throne. It was true the impact was harsh but her aura took the majority of the blow, which left her unscathed.

Subconsciously, Weiss clutched the locket around her neck. The white was pulsating throughout her body. It was refreshing like she was born anew. In fact, she hadn't felt this good in ages.

"That was awesome!" Ruby blurted. "How'd you catch up!?"

Blake joined the two with a smirk. "Yang threw you, didn't she?"

"Don't underestimate her muscles," Weiss said as she hopped off the corpse.

The body was so large that the white was still eating at the black. It was chipping away with little specks as it swirled into the sky.

In no time, Yang caught up. "That was cool to watch! Are you good, princess?"

"More than good," Weiss said as she held onto the locket. "I think the relics enhance my purification ability."

"Really?" Yang asked, bewildered by the thought.

"It wouldn't surprise me," Blake chimed in her monotone voice. "Oz made it clear that the relic has a lot of power. Even he doesn't know its limitations."

"Let's ask him," Ruby suggested.

"We should also go get our friends," Weiss mentioned. "They're probably still in the store."

Ruby heavily sighed. "What'll we do about their questions?"

Since Blake was the most skilled at thinking on her feet, she replied.

"I'll handle it."

* * *

 **For you guys, it's only been a week since the last chapter. For me, it's been three weeks! The long break was because a friend died and then there was spring break, so I used that as a time to heal with friends and family and not worry about things. Now I'm back at it.**

 **A tumblr prompt was mentioned: "you asked if she was single. When she said no, you cried." Laughed my ass off from that. I had to put it in here.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	71. Strategic Patience

"Hey, Oz."

"Team RWBY," Ozpin formally greeted. "What brings you to my temple?"

The relic hunters had a few questions after that encounter with the rapid beringel. Questions about the grimm itself and the relic. Important questions that needed answers.

It was silent in the temple. The stairs shimmered and the ancient designs on the ceiling were intricate. It was as if the room and not just Ozpin was waiting for an answer.

With purpose, Weiss stepped forward and held the locket in her grasp. "Can the relic make my purification powers stronger?"

Instead of answering, Ozpin looked deep in thought. One hand was under his chin as he contemplated the question. Something had to have happened recently to compel her to ask.

Because he was quiet, Ruby backed her up. "She purified a full-grown beringel not even an hour ago and felt refreshed instead of tired like she normally does. We think the relics might have something to do with that."

The mention of a beringel grimm set off alarm bells in his head. He pushed that to the side for now and decided to address the question first.

The headmaster waved the priestess over. "May I check your seal, Weiss?"

His question made her wonder why he wanted to do so but he'd probably explain after she obliged.

"Of course," she saw no reason for him not to.

With that, Weiss stood directly in front of him. To watch the process, the remaining team encircled them, expectant.

To focus, Ozpin hovered his hand and closed his eyes. A green light emitted from his palm and the friendly green smog was sucked into her chest within seconds. In response, her breath slightly hitched. It was like getting pricked with a needle on the inside.

The white and green auras swirled together in harmony. When the previous light sting ebbed away, it felt warm and pleasant. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary. Her white aura wasn't tainted. The seal was doing its job perfectly.

Silently, Ozpin pulled away, done with the process of confirming his thoughts.

"It's as if the curse isn't there," Ozpin diagnosed.

"Good," Yang said with a smile. "Why'd you want to check?"

"Simply to make sure the curse wasn't a factor," Ozpin informed evenly. "Keep in mind, I'm not entirely sure what the relic's power is capable of or its limitations. However, it wouldn't surprise me if it enhances any type of ability including purification."

"Told ya," Ruby said in satisfaction.

Cat ears flicked. Blake stared at the glowing locket in her friend's grasp and then at the bright white bangle around her wrist. "Does that mean our semblances could be enhanced?"

"Perhaps," Ozpin didn't deny the possibility. "Maybe you should test that theory."

"Let's do it," Ruby suggested. "I'm curious. If we can figure this out we may be able to come up with more effective combos."

"Smart, Rubes," Yang praised. "We've collected three shards so far, right?"

"Yes," Weiss confirmed. "Cinder stole one of them from us so she has the fourth."

"There's one more out there," Blake stated calmly and looked to the headmaster. "Do you and Glyn know where the last one is located?"

With a smug smirk, Ozpin lifted his cane and waved it once. It took team RWBY a moment to realize what he was trying to say. There was a faint light on the grip of his handle.

"Are you kidding me?!" Yang blurted when she noticed a shard was embedded in the wood. "All this time and you already had one?!"

"Don't take it personally," Ozpin said evenly. "Only Glynda knew."

"That Goodbitch…" Yang mumbled. "Let me get this straight. The princess here had one without knowing it, and you have one and knew the whole time?"

Ozpin lightly smirked. "Don't make me sound like the villain. I was protecting it in my own way. As was Weiss."

Weiss frowned and dropped the locket under her uniform. "I didn't even know I had one."

"That's how you protected it well for so long," Ozpin stated.

The priestess had never thought of it like that. She just thought that she was moronic for not even knowing that there was something inside the locket for all those years.

Blake smirked from the news. "It really doesn't matter. The bottom line is that this makes our job a lot easier."

Ruby counted with her fingers. "We have four of the five pieces."

"Yes, Ruby," Ozpin confirmed. "We're at a great advantage against the half-demon."

Confidently, Yang placed her hands on her hips. "So what do you want us to do now? It's not like we can go hunt it down. Unless you want us to go after Cinder."

"That's not necessary," Ozpin informed. "Cinder will come to us. We will bait her. My hope is that she'll bait herself."

Confused, Blake tilted her head. "What does that mean?"

Instantly, Weiss retorted. "She won't fall for whatever you have planned."

The half-demon was cunning, that much was certain. She wasn't someone who would fall for simple tricks or deceit. Whatever the headmaster had planned had to be just as crafty.

"Ah," Ozpin said in amusement. "She's greedy. That's her main weakness. She wants to be a full-demon so badly that she's willing to do anything. Of course, she'll arrive with a plan. Our role is to guess what her plan will be so we can initiate a proper counterattack."

Blake wanted to clarify the plan. "You want us to wait for her to make her move?"

"Precisely," Ozpin confirmed. "I've no doubt that she will come to us."

Out of the blue, Ruby asked. "Do you think she already tried to make a move with that beringel earlier?"

"Great observation, Ruby. That's what I was thinking," Ozpin agreed. "Perhaps that was one of her many steps. To analyze your team's dynamics. I'm certain that she's been gathering intel for a while now. It's only a matter of time before she's confident enough to make a move."

Blue eyes narrowed as Weiss frowned. "That sly half-demon."

"Be more cautious from now on," Ozpin advised solemnly. "The time is drawing near."

Four nods.

* * *

Together, the three trudged through the thickets in the forest.

Due to the chilly weather recently, the group adorned warmer clothes.

In front of the small group was Emerald, who used her sharp sickles to slash through the dense shrubbery. This allowed Cinder and Mercury to easily follow. The bushes she missed were met with Cinder's cruel dual swords.

"My lady," Mercury addressed, his breath visible. "I can't wait any longer! When can we finally go after them?"

"We must wait for _him_ to grow," Cinder reminded smugly. "A demon's power doesn't just appear from nowhere. Nurturing it comes first."

That was an odd thing to hear. At least to him. Mercury never viewed Cinder as a nurturing being. The mere thought caused his skin to crawl. She had her moments of compassion, but those vanished as soon as they appeared to be replaced by a tyrannical being.

"Just shut up, Merc," Emerald snapped as she whacked another branch. "Listening to you complain all the time is getting on my nerves. How Cinder deals with you is beyond me."

"Tch," Mercury crossed his arms in annoyance, hoping to hide his hands from the cold. "I just thought that he was big enough by now," he said, trying to justify his complaint.

Irritated, Cinder rolled her eyes. "You obviously haven't witnessed a dragon's full size."

"You have?" Mercury asked, genuinely curious.

"A flying one," Cinder revealed with a firm nod. "A long time ago," back then, her followers weren't even born yet.

The half-demon didn't like hinting at her true age. It made her sound old.

Emerald let out a gasp from an epiphany. "That's why you know what he needs!"

Only someone who had experience with demons would know how to care for one. Especially if it was raised from scratch.

"Precisely," Cinder stated. "My sea dragon that they defeated served us well. I made him durable, able to withstand hit after hit, blow after blow. Now we know how the relic hunters work together."

Mercury nodded in agreement. "They lasted way longer than I thought they would."

"My hordes of grimm were relentless," Cinder slyly smiled. "The relic hunters' stamina and endurance are phenomenal, but that won't matter."

To Emerald, it was strange to hear her master praise the enemy. Perhaps that wasn't praise, merely an observation. She had to admit, watching her former classmates thrive in the heat of battle was mesmerizing.

It almost made her forget that they were the bad guys for a moment. When she watched them interact, they seemed like ordinary high school girls. Not relic hunters thrown into the New World.

 _Are we doing the right thing?_ Emerald thought. _Is Cinder planning to kill my old classmates? Or does she just want to steal the remaining relic pieces?_

Part of Emerald was reluctant to ask. She was afraid of the answer.

"Your beringel scared the crap out of them," Emerald tried to appear like she wasn't having doubts and took a jab at her former classmates. "Even Yang was thrown off."

From previous observations, Emerald was well-aware that Yang was team RWBY's tank. The one who took most of the hits. The most fearless person on the team, who was in charge of keeping most red eyes on her. That came with a lot of pros and cons, as she'd come to realize.

That wasn't her only observation.

"It's seems the priestess is the most quick-witted," Cinder stated firmly. "The black-haired member-?"

"Blake," Emerald answered.

"Blake doesn't fall far behind in that aspect," the half-demon elaborated. "She's quick-witted and has the reflexes to boot. Meanwhile, the girl with the cape-?"

"Ruby," Mercury filled her in.

"Ruby doesn't hesitate to take charge and can see the whole picture more easily than anyone else," Cinder clarified. "Which is odd, considering she's the youngest."

Mercury seemed shocked by that. "Didn't she move ahead two grades?"

Emerald replied, sarcasm in her tone. "Because she's such a genius."

 _For her age she's always appeared so self-assured,_ Emerald thought.

Before long, the small group entered the well-hidden cave that was covered by large leaves and vines.

Cinder took the lead and conjured a fireball in her palm so they could see in the darkness. Since the half-demon didn't like the way voices bounced off the cave walls, her followers were quiet.

Only the sounds of footsteps lingered as they rounded multiple corners in an intricate maze. Faint roars rang out and grew more powerful with every step.

"He's fussy," Emerald said softly, making sure to keep her voice low.

 _He's still small but he's only going to get bigger and more intimidating,_ Emerald thought. _I can't believe Cinder isn't scared of him. It's daunting to watch her interact with him._

When the three rounded the last corner, there he- it- was.

In the silhouette, the dragon cried.

The demon was about the size of an average school bus. With more room to grow. Thanks to Cinder's ball of light, the group could see the beast clearly.

The wings were red and bat-like. Delicate like a wasp's since the red membrane of the wings were translucent. Like grimm, it had rough black skin, with white bone-like spines along its body. Since it wasn't fully grown yet, the developing armor was still squishy.

The soft white substance included an external skill, rib cage, and rows of dorsal spikes that were still soft and in the process of hardening.

"He's almost perfect," Cinder observed with a smug smirk.

Her alluring voice echoed. When she spoke, the dragon grumbled.

Another deafening roar.

This caused the three to cover their ears in pain. Thanks to the enclosed space, the noise was amplified like there were dozens of microphones and speakers.

Like the monster had the zoomies, it whipped its tail around. Luckily, there was plenty of space for the creature in the massive cave, so no walls crumbled and only shook from its weight.

On its tail were three spikes and growing claws on its hind legs. On top of the skull were dots of white that would soon be prominent, sharp horns.

Despite the weapons this demon adorned, the most intimidating feature were its six yellow eyes. The color alone separated the beast from the rest of the ordinary grimm. Somehow, yellow appeared more daunting than the most bloody of red.

After another bellow, the demon plopped on the ground like it was bored. This caused the three to wobble and some dirt to fall from the ceiling.

Mercury grimaced from the loud shrieks and looked to his master. "Do you think he's hungry?"

Cinder crossed her arms and nodded behind her. "Go get ten more deer."

"Coming right up," with that, Mercury turned on his heel to leave.

In seconds, he melted with the darkness.

When he was gone, Cinder strutted up to the monster without batting an eye. Emerald almost grabbed her hand to stop her, but restrained herself. Emerald couldn't get near the dragon without it throwing a fit. The only one allowed to come close was Cinder.

Gently, the half-demon set a hand on the side of its belly.

In response, the dragon's stomach rumbled in what felt like a violent purr.

"Now, now," Cinder whispered delicately. "All you have to do is grow."

Emerald could only watch the display in fear. Two pairs of golden eyes pierced the darkness.

 _What have I gotten myself into?_

* * *

 **Our lil beast is rearing to go! Patience you impatient SOB.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	72. Let's Keep Running Onward

**Hey, uh... *clears throat* are things getting hot and spicy in here or is that just me?**

* * *

"Blake has serious RBF right now."

From her sister's comment, Ruby glanced over at her girlfriend. The cat faunus was staring into space at professor Oobleck. The cat ears under her bow were droopy and she had a hand under her chin in disinterest.

"She's so cute," Ruby cooed.

 _She's cute, but she looks so bored,_ Ruby thought. _I need to fix that._

Yang pointed to her own face and whispered. "Do I have RBF that bad?"

"God, Yang," Ruby whined irritably. "Don't you have other things to worry about?"

"Like what?"

"A test or something, I don't know," Ruby replied lowly. "RBF is such a stupid thing to worry about. And to answer your question, no. You look friendly. It's too bad that you're a pain in the butt."

"Gee, thanks, Rubes," Yang replied in amusement.

The moment the bell rang, students poured out of the classroom.

For many, it was time for lunch. Which is why Yang darted in front of the crowd. Not wanting to leave her boisterous girlfriend alone, Weiss followed directly behind her with haste.

"Come on, princess!" Yang called behind her.

"Would you slow down?" Weiss quipped irritably.

When Yang glanced behind her, she noticed that Ruby and Blake weren't following. Instead, she was met with random students' expressions.

"Where's Blake and Ruby?" Yang asked as she flowed through the crowd.

"Not sure," Weiss replied. "They'll catch up eventually."

Unbeknownst to them, the ladybug couple had vanished like they were never there. They were out of sight from anyone's lingering gazes. In the midst of the lunch rush, Ruby had taken the opportunity to pull Blake to the side.

In the janitor's closet.

The action had been so swift that Blake didn't know what was happening. It was dark inside, however, she could see clearly thanks to her night vision.

This was out of character for her girlfriend, so Blake asked. "Ruby-"

The faunus was cut off when Ruby pressed her lips on her own. Without giving her time to react, Ruby pressed her girlfriend against the cold wall and pinned her there. With Blake's hands held down, Ruby separated from the kiss and got on her tiptoes to whisper seductively in her sensitive ear.

"I want to return the favor for what you did for me on my birthday."

A shiver rocked Blake's spine when her breath tickled her sensitive ear. Blake's heart thumped loudly in her chest. It was almost hard to breathe since she was still processing her words. Perhaps this was something Ruby had planned for a while now. When their lips ensnared it was like fire coursed through their veins and down their limbs. Blake felt every ounce of hunger as they kissed.

Eager, Ruby placed a hand on the back of her girlfriend's head and pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. Ruby moved her tongue into Blake's mouth and the faunus unabashedly let out a groan of approval. Ruby was just as impatient as she was, and then she felt the brunette's hand slide up her leg before it firmly grasped her hip. Following her girlfriend's lead, Blake slid her hand under Ruby's shirt and inched her fingers over her torso. Ruby responded by moving into her touch as she let a quiet moan escape.

A second later their kiss separated, and Blake was left to wonder why.

"You know…" Ruby murmured. "I've been reading your Ninjas of Love series…"

The revelation caused Blake to blush crimson, unable to form words.

"I didn't know you were into that kind of stuff," Ruby whispered lowly, her breath tickled the faunus' neck. "I can see why you like it."

"That's not-" Blake stammered. "I don't-"

Ruby didn't give her a chance to retort when her lips latched onto her neck.

Golden eyes shot open and she unintentionally gasped from the sudden sweet feeling. Her heart had been racing but now it almost leaped out of her chest. Her heartbeat was louder than the chatters just outside the door. Her girlfriend certainly knew how to press the right buttons.

Despite the distraction of her girlfriend's mouth and hands, Blake noticed the tightening of Ruby's lips against her skin. She could tell that her rose was grinning as she kissed up her neck and along her jawline. Blake bit her lip and sucked in a sharp breath. Eagerly, Ruby ground her tongue onto her milky skin.

When another shameless moan escaped, Ruby removed her lips, keeping Blake pressed against the wall.

"You can't be loud," Ruby reminded gently.

Ruby's previous relentless actions caused Blake to lose the concept of time. She hadn't even noticed that the noises in the halls had stopped. Most students were probably in the cafeteria by now. This meant they had to be quiet since it was easier to hear any noises.

"Unless you want people to see?" Ruby teased.

"Uhh no," Blake mumbled, somewhat out of breath. "We could get expelled."

"By Ozpin?" Ruby quirked an amused brow as she held onto the collar of her school uniform. "He owes us and he knows it."

"Ruby, I-"

Before Blake could finish her sentence, a cloth was stuffed in her mouth. This earned a muffled yelp of surprise. It was then that Blake realized… this was exactly like one of the scenes in her favorite book series. Every time she read it she got hot and bothered, but now that it was actually happening…

Forcefully yet gently, Ruby turned the faunus around so she faced the wall. Closely, Ruby grinded into her squirming girlfriend and kept an arm firmly around her waist to stop her from moving. Another hand slid up Blake's shirt and under her black bra. She loved how it felt to have Blake involuntarily arch into her and shamelessly groan each time she pulled or twisted her nipple.

Blake had wanted her girlfriend's touch so badly that she didn't stop herself from moving against Ruby in approval. At last, Ruby's hand slipped inside her underwear to squeeze her backside. Desire built in Blake as they continued. Slowly, Ruby slid her fingers closer to where Blake desperately wanted her to be. It was almost like she was mercilessly teasing her. It made the faunus' breath hitch.

When Ruby felt the wetness from her girlfriend's core through her undergarments, she slyly smiled.

"Oh, Blake. You really like this, don't you?"

Eagerly, Blake removed the gag and hungrily kissed her rose as she slid in a finger. To keep her quiet, Ruby kept their lips ensnared as she slid another digit inside her. Both of Blake's arms were around her girlfriend's shoulders because her knees grew weak. With each thrust, Blake bit back most moans, but some let slip. Ruby didn't stop thrusting for what felt like eternity. She didn't stop until she felt her girlfriend contract and moan pure ecstasy into her mouth.

After the orgasm, Blake almost collapsed but Ruby was there to gently coax her to the floor as she panted.

"Are you okay, kitten?"

It took Blake a few moments to gain her bearings as she smiled at her precious beloved.

"After that? I'm more than okay."

That elicited a smile from Ruby. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

* * *

"Here's the last one!"

After the workout, Taiyang set the heavy cardboard box on the wooden floor. A loud thump rang out and he leaned back up, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

"Thank you, Tai," Weiss said gratefully. "You all helped a lot."

Glad for the exercise, Tai confidently placed his hands on his hips as he gazed around the living room. Multiple boxes were scattered and stacked on top of each other all over the spacious room.

"I love the new place," Taiyang commented. "Did you pick it out, Klein?"

"Indeed I did," Klein confirmed for the man. "It's not too big or too small."

Yang nodded in agreement. "It's perfect."

Since the building was completely vacant aside from the boxes, it was going to take a while to completely settle in. Overtime, Klein and Weiss planned to take it by day. This would lessen a lot of stress in the long run.

For the last few hours, Tai and his daughters had been helping Klein and Weiss move into their new home.

"Weissy!" Ruby exclaimed, giddy as ever. "I wanna see your new room!"

"You're more excited than I am, dolt," Weiss responded with a small smile. "Before we do, can everyone please grab any boxes with the 'W' label?"

"No," Blake teasingly replied. "You're going to do it all by yourself."

"Ha-ha," Weiss said sarcastically.

Fortunately, Weiss only had six boxes filled with her belongings. Blake and Yang grabbed two each while Weiss and Ruby each carried one.

Meanwhile, Taiyang and Klein were left to chat. Oddly enough, they were getting along. They shared common interests and were conversing about their love of certain cleaning products. What was stranger was that they got passionate about the topic as their faces lit up.

One of Blake's cat ears flicked as she whispered in Yang's ear. "If I ever get that excited about cleaners, you have permission to end me."

"How?" Yang jokingly replied. "Slow and painful?"

"No thanks," the faunus said. "I have nine lives. Make it quick for every single one."

From her reply, Yang just stared. Blake just made a cat joke. About herself. Unintentionally, Yang let out a laugh.

Glad her friend appreciated the joke, Blake focused ahead to not stumble. The boxes were kind of heavy.

When the team entered Weiss' room, they set the heavy boxes at the edge of the bed.

The first thing they noticed was the white carpet. It was softer, warmer, and more inviting than the old mansion's cold marble floor. The room's size was about ten by ten feet. Which was plenty of room for one person.

Everything was white. The walls were bare and the queen bed wasn't made. The mattress was exposed. Currently, it was bland but that would change in time.

"Not bad," Yang commented happily. "Kinda plain, though."

Blake's cat ears twitched under her bow. "It'll look better after she puts her things up."

"It'll look like home soon enough," Weiss said with a smile.

 _It's totally empty besides the bed,_ Yang observed. _Blake's right. She'll put up decorations and stuff but I want to help her out. Give her something that'll pull the room together._

A hint of Yang.

That's when Yang realized how much had changed. She was so glad that her girlfriend escaped that toxic environment and away from her abusive father. The blonde thought there could be no better outcome as she watched her girlfriend giggle from something Blake said.

Eager to help, Ruby crouched down to rip open one of the boxes. To her surprise, the entire contents of the box was-

"Weiss, how many shoes do you have?!" Ruby blurted as her mouth hung open.

There was a mix of heels, pumps, flats, sandals, and tennis shoes inside. Yang and Ruby gazed inside with utter awe. The sisters blinked a few times like they couldn't believe what they were seeing.

Blake gave Weiss a look. "I told you. You have too many."

Weiss lightly huffed and shyly glanced away. "It's an adequate amount," she quipped, sounding uncertain of her words.

"Hold onto your hats, or shoes..." Blake said as she crouched down.

Knowing that Weiss had more shoes stored, Blake selected a random box and opened it. She took her chances that there'd be even more inside. Fortunately, her guess was correct. The items inside were boots, sneakers, and converse.

"Jeez," Ruby mumbled in disbelief as she fumbled with a golden sandal. "I haven't seen you wear even half of these!"

Gently, Yang set a hand on her girlfriend's shoulder. "I think you have a problem," she said, teasing present.

While Blake held up a glimmering red heel, she asked. "What's your shoe size?"

After a light sigh, Weiss replied. "Six."

"Darn it," the faunus mumbled in disappointment. "I wish we could've at least shared some."

Yang gawked down at the collection, spotting a pair of tennis shoes she particularly liked. "That would've been awesome."

From her friend's revelation, Ruby grinned widely. "I might be able to squeeze into a few."

"If you can find a pair that works for you, you can borrow them," Weiss offered.

Her casual shoes were more of what her red-caped friend was eyeballing. There was more than enough for two people. Or three. Or four. Or one hundred.

"Yes!" Ruby chirped in excitement.

Eager, Ruby threw out the shoes one-by-one, searching for the perfect pair. Her friends recoiled when a sneaker collided into Yang's shin.

"Agh, Rubes!" Yang chided.

"Shush!" Ruby exclaimed as she tossed out a purple sandal. "I'm trying to focus here."

Yang quirked a blonde eyebrow. "You're gonna have to put those back."

Absentmindedly, Ruby replied. "Yeah, yeah."

While she searched for a pair to borrow, the other three opened the remaining boxes.

"Alright," Yang announced. "Let's fix this place up."

* * *

After the team helped Weiss move in, the freezerburn couple decided it was time for a break.

Their last date felt like it was too long ago. Longer than they liked.

From Weiss' suggestion, they went to a coffee shop. A casual date was exactly what they needed after a long, laborious day. The couple was still in their casual clothes as they sipped on their coffee.

As far as they were concerned, they were the only ones in the parlor.

"Not gonna lie," Yang mentioned, uncertain. "I'm kinda paranoid now."

Those lilac eyes were genuine and swam in concern. Despite previous distractions of everyday life, it was hard to get that conversation with Ozpin out of her head. And for good reason.

"I noticed," Weiss offered a smile as she set down the steaming mug. "Every time we went outside to get more boxes, you kept checking over your shoulder."

"You can't be too sure," the blonde fiddled with the mug nervously. An idiosyncrasy she picked up from Ruby. "That beringel literally popped out of nowhere. That could easily happen again."

Carefully, Weiss wrapped both of her hands around the warm mug in front of her. Naturally, an empathetic expression etched on her face. "We're on a time limit and we're not in control this time, which makes things worse."

Until now, the relic hunters did exactly that. Hunted relics. Team RWBY followed their professors' orders and nabbed the four pieces. Now that there was one left in the half-demon's grasp, it made things a lot trickier.

Weiss thought out loud as she tapped the mug once. "I wonder what _she_ has planned."

When Yang set the mug down, a thump rang out. "I just want this over with. I want her dead."

"That's a blunt way to put it," Weiss said softly.

From Yang's words, Weiss looked down at the table. She didn't know what to think as she gripped her sweatpants.

The priestess wasn't sure what she thought about Cinder. She didn't hate the half-demon even after all she'd done to her. Even so, thinking that she wanted Cinder dead didn't feel right.

It had to be done. There was no way around it. Either Cinder or Weiss herself would die.

The curse trapped her.

Maybe she felt more like it was her duty to eradicate Cinder. Probably because Willow had protected a piece of the relic. Probably because Ozpin still wished to die properly rather than be reincarnated over and over, suffering from his own curse.

She just hoped that the half-demon wouldn't suffer a pitiful demise.

Weiss' reaction caused Yang to feel worried, so she held her hand out on top of the table. From the invitation, Weiss placed her cold hand in her own.

"I just- I want your curse gone," Yang stated softly, yet firmly. "Cinder has to die for you to be okay."

"Yeah," the priestess had to agree. She wanted her curse gone as well. To stay with Yang. The thought of taking a life was unsettling, but this wasn't something she could avoid.

Yang noticed her girlfriend's uncertainty and squeezed her hand. That earned a squeeze back.

"I love you," Yang said fondly.

"I love you, too," Weiss replied in a heartbeat.

"Which is why we can do this," Yang said with a grin. "We gotta aim up higher."

Weiss casually glanced out the window to find that it was still gray outside. "I just wish we knew what lies in store."

"So what?" Yang questioned calmly. "That's never stopped us before."

"You're right," Weiss conceded and clicked her mouth a couple of times. "Huh, that felt weird."

"Agreeing with me?" Yang asked with a smirk, which earned a nod. "You might wanna get used to it."

In response, Weiss leaned in. Yang followed and their faces were mere centimeters apart. Lovingly, Weiss pecked her girlfriend's nose. That elicited a short laugh.

"After all this is over can we perhaps go on a romantic date?" Weiss asked.

"McDonald's it is."

"Brute."

* * *

 **There are lyrics mentioned from the song I'm a Believer by Amalee. "Come on, let's aim up higher. So what? If I don't know what lies in store. So what? That's never stopped me before. So what? I don't care about our odds I'm a believer!"**

 **The title is: "I will keep on running onward even though I'm outta breath."**

 **DAAAAAAYUM! I've given several hints in previous chapters that the ladybug pair has been sexually active. This is just the first scene 'on screen' ;D**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	73. Seize the Day

**I got new cats! Bro & sis named Ruta & Medoh. **

* * *

"Ah," Jaune grunted irritably. "Why do I keep itching?"

The relic hunters stared at the confused boy as he mercilessly scratched his arm. Little did he know, there was a pesky, tiny nevermore pecking at that spot. The little grimm was chilling on his shoulder and bent over just to peck him.

Unfortunately for Jaune, no amount of movement could make this thing fly off.

"Maybe you have a rash," Yang offered a false suggestion, trying to normalize the situation.

"What?" Jaune sounded confused. "No I don't. That can't be."

To prove it, he rolled up his sleeve. There were red marks on his skin, but that was from his nails.

"See?" Yang chirped knowingly.

"That's from me itching it," Jaune deadpanned, not amused. After he said that, the grimm pecked again, which caused him to grunt and itch the exposed skin. "Ahhhh."

When Weiss approached to 'inspect' his skin, she casually snatched the bird on his shoulder and briskly walked away. That left a few of her friends to wonder why she almost punched the boy.

Wanting to help her find a spot for the purification process, Blake joined her priestess friend. Perhaps they could find a secluded area to do this. The school hallways weren't the best option for privacy. While they handed the pesky bird, Yang and Ruby were left to handle the questions.

Ren watched the white and black pair retreat down the hall. "What's with them?"

Yang offered an excuse. "Nature calls."

Not at all bothered by their sudden disappearance, Nora poked Jaune's red arm. "You don't even have a bug bite."

"I know!" Jaune exclaimed. "It's the weirdest thing. Hey, wait. I think it stopped itching."

"Really?" Ren asked, confused as to why it stopped so suddenly.

When Jaune nodded, Pyrrha replied. "That's a relief. I was about to leave school to get you some ointment."

"There's no need for that, Pyr," Jaune reassured as he stared at the red skin. Perturbed, he rolled down the sleeve. "That was weird."

Like she was waiting for him to say that, Ruby said. "You're weird. It goes hand-in-hand."

That caused Yang and Nora to chuckle a bit.

"Ya know, Rubes- agh!"

There was a sharp prick in Yang's ankle. It felt like a bee sting. The friends around her gave her curious looks when she suddenly yelped for no reason.

Only Ruby could tell why her sister was bothered when she looked down. There was another tiny black mass. Its sharp teeth were embedded in Yang's skin as the blonde shook her foot violently.

To not raise suspicion, Yang mumbled. "Get off me ya little bastard," she said, hoping that her little sister would help her out.

A few snarls vibrated lowly in response. No matter how many times they heard a beowolf cub grimm's growl, it always surprised them by the sheer amount of menace.

While her friends stared at the struggling Yang, Ruby leisurely kicked the pup with just enough force to pry its jaws off her. Unceremoniously, the grimm careened into Nora's leg. This made her look down, only to see nothing.

"What was that?" Nora asked. "It felt like something bumped me."

"It was nothing!" Ruby replied quicker than she intended. "This school must be infested with fleas or something, huh?" she tried a weak laugh.

That made her friends even more confused.

With the cub's next target in sight, the grimm snapped down onto Nora's calf.

"Ow!" instantly, the girl slapped her leg like she was swatting a bee. That hit the grimm as it let out another growl. "Do fleas bite?!

Growing irritated, Yang grit her teeth. "This is getting ridiculous."

Not caring who was watching anymore, Yang punted the motherfucker. The tiny cub shrieked as it sailed over a sea of students and landed somewhere in the cramped halls.

"Shit," Yang cursed.

"Yang!" Ruby chided and smacked her lightly upside the head. "Now we have to go find it!"

"Well soooooorry for savin' Nora!" Yang retorted in annoyance.

Still puzzled, Nora didn't know what to say, so she said what came to mind. "Thanks! The pain is gone so whatever you did helped."

Ren's eyes were wide. He'd been trying to process the events but couldn't think of anything rational. "Find what?" he asked the sisters with suspicion.

"We'll be back," Yang said quickly and cupped her hands over her mouth. "Weiss!"

She was greeted with a poke on her back. "I'm right here. What's wrong- ah!"

With no words, the team bolted in the general direction of where they last saw the small grimm. Hopefully, they could prevent it from biting some other unfortunate soul.

Ruby and Yang led the way, pushing a few students to the side.

The target small target was scampering away among the sea of people. They had to reach the cub before it could hide somewhere.

"They're feisty some days and others they completely relaxed!" Ruby yelped as she scrambled for a peak of the pup.

"It makes no sense!" Yang agreed as she dragged her girlfriend along. "Pick a mood!"

Weiss picked up the pace, her hand being tugged along. "There's a civilized way to do this!"

As Blake ran alongside her friend, she sent her a deadpan expression. "By now I thought you'd just shut up and accept it."

"That's not-"

When Yang caught the grimm in the corner of her eye, she split the other way. "C'mere you bastard!"

"You're incorrigible!" Weiss yelped.

Expertly, the beowolf grimm dodged around random students. Feet almost hit its side several times, but the cub was quick.

Meanwhile, the relic hunters had a difficult time catching up to the small target since it kept hiding behind large bodies. Not to mention, they had to shove several people out of the way, which earned startled yelps and multiple "excuse you's."

Ruby heavily sighed as she flanked the cub. "We're not even trying to hide it anymore, huh?"

"Who cares by this point," Yang replied, never taking her eyes off the cub.

To their luck, some random student accidentally kicked the grimm when he was walking. The student looked at his foot confusedly before brushing it off and continued to walk down the hall.

Fortunately, the cub crashed into a nearby door. This gave Ruby time to grab the pup before it could dart away.

The beowolf grimm was growling and shaking in her arms, clearly frightened. Red eyes pierced through Ruby's soul.

"Aw," Ruby muttered. "He's so scared. Don't be scared, bud."

"It was just kicked," Blake reminded.

Directly after, her three teammates rushed up to it and gazed at it in her arms. The cub was attempting to rip Ruby's sleeve, but was failing to tear it.

"You're okay," Yang soothed in a whisper as she gently brushed the fluff on its head.

"Here," Ruby transferred the grimm to Weiss' waiting arms.

As Weiss walked to the bathroom with her team in tow, she said. "We're just going to purify you is all."

As they walked into the privacy of the bathroom, the cub stopped squirming and snarling. The team took that as a good sign.

Soon enough, the calm white light enshrouded its small form before fading away. The small grimm gave a content sigh as it looked up at the ceiling and joined the atmosphere.

"I think it was happy," Yang said softly.

Ruby shrugged, not knowing what to think. "Maybe."

Blake smiled as she glanced around the vacant space. "Wherever he is, it's a better place than here."

Yang sharply inhaled the smell of the gross bathroom.

"That's for sure."

* * *

"Now, class, can anyone tell me which primate this is?"

Glynda Goodwitch pointed to the large image projected on the screen. It was a small animal with a dark brown coat that was dangling from a tree. The green eyes were wide and covered the majority of the face. It looked like this so-called primate could fit in the palm of anyone's hand.

No one's hand shot up. Not even Weiss' like it normally did. Goodwitch understood this. So many things had happened lately, so she cut the relic hunters some slack and instead focused on the rest of the class.

There was silence as the professor glanced around. A few people in the back were blankly staring at the screen like they were lost in space or daydreaming. Jaune was fiddling with his mechanical pencil like he ran out of lead.

Ruby looked like she was wracking her brain for answers as silver eyes squinted. Blake was bored out of her mind and had her hand under her chin in disinterest. Weiss was taking notes, probably about the previous slides. And Yang looked like- well, Goodwitch didn't know.

The question shouldn't have been hard to answer. It was one of the many primates the class had to know for the upcoming test. Besides a few of their cranial and biological features. The first step was knowing what they were.

Leisurely, Yang leaned back in her chair with the widest smirk Goodwitch had ever seen.

The thought to call on the blonde never crossed Glynda's mind. Maybe Yang was just infuriatingly enjoying the silence.

"You have to know this," Glynda stated as she looked at no one in particular.

Unexpectedly, Yang spoke with confidence.

"That's a tarsier," the blonde simply answered. "It's clinging to a tree because it's probably hunting since its type of locomotion is vertical leaper and climber. Unlike the other new world primates, the tarsier has a dental formula of 2133 over 1133. Its eyes are a unique feature because it can't even move them. They have to move their heads to look around. Which would be so annoying. And since it's a new world primate, it's also known as a platyrrhine."

Dead silence.

Half of those terms flew over students' heads.

That was an answer chock-full of information. No one was expecting that. Especially not from Yang.

Weiss stared at her girlfriend with her blue pen trapped loosely between her fingers, absolutely awestruck.

They hadn't even been on this unit for three days and she knew everything she needed to know about the thing?!

"Woah, Yang…" Weiss murmured, ogling her girlfriend's smirk.

Playfully, Ruby punched the back of her shoulder since she was sitting behind her sister. She used a whisper to not disrupt the class. "Alright, Yang!"

Cat ears flicked as Blake smirked. "Didn't see that coming. Never."

Yang just looked back at her with a deadpan expression. "We get it."

"Ms. Xiao Long," Glynda addressed, clearly impressed. "You've been studying."

"What can I say, teach?" Yang said with certainty as she crossed her arms. "I'm a genius."

For now, Glynda didn't debate that. Although she had many _many_ things to say about that statement. It seemed Blake was thinking the exact same thing. Because the professor heard her mumble.

"Only in certain areas…"

Since Yang was right in front of her, she heard that and swiftly turned around to challenge her friend.

"What was that?" Yang asked, somewhat defensive.

"Nothing!" Blake replied quicker than she intended.

Glynda tapped her clipboard once as she observed the students' reactions. Now, they were definitely not bored.

"Don't get cocky, Ms. Xiao Long."

"Oh come on!" Yang yelped. "I gave a great answer and I get nothin' but bad treatment?!"

That earned a few snickers.

Jokingly, Goodwitch frowned as she thought about what she should say as praise.

"It was a fantastic explanation. You are the smartest person in all of humanity, can I be you?"

That earned more giggles.

This was a surprise. During a lecture, Glynda would usually refrain from sass. It seemed that Yang's attitude was getting to her.

Yang looked taken aback from her statement, but ultimately grinned. "Why, thank you."

"Satisfied?" Glynda asked, quirking a brow.

Oh, this'll be fun…

Sassily, Yang flipped her hair over her shoulder. She used a high-pitched voice, obviously mocking the conversation. "Tell me I'm the prettiest girl in all the land."

"Shut up."

The blatant shutdown caused more laughs to ring out.

* * *

 **The chapter title is from I'm a Believer by Amalee. "I will 'seize the day' no matter what it throws my way!"**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	74. Union

**Check out my newest fic called Strike Back! It's a pirate AU.**

* * *

While Klein was away working, Weiss took the liberty of unpacking the remaining boxes.

It'd only been a few days since they moved into their new home, so they weren't completely settled in yet. Thanks to teamwork, the majority of items had been put in the right places.

Weiss stepped back to examine a painting she'd just hung up in the living room. She crossed her arms with her eyes narrowed.

 _It looks crooked._

To fix that, she lightly touched the corner of the landscape painting and tilted it up. That did the trick. She'd been decorating for about an hour, so she decided it was time for a break. Satisfied, Weiss slipped into her room. No matter how many times she walked in here, it always felt so warm.

Paintings of nature surrounded her. Each picture put her at ease and emitted its own aura.

Her queen-sized bed adorned light blue covers and fluffy white pillows. The closet was hidden behind a large full-body, sliding mirror to the right. A few bookshelves and sentimental items scattered the left side of the room.

Her desk was in the far left corner of the room. On top of it was her laptop. The desk looked so barren. When her eyes landed on the desk, something felt off. It wasn't supposed to be naked like that.

 _That's it!_

Knowing what was missing, Weiss reached into the last box on the floor. With care, she grabbed the picture frame she'd had by her side since she could remember.

In the picture, there was a sea of plants and flowers. In the midst of the sun and vegetation, there was Weiss. She was smiling widely because she was being held by her mother, who adorned a sun hat.

Weiss' favorite part of the image was that they shared the same shade of blue eyes. Not to mention that Klein somehow made the picture, who was picking some white lilies in the background.

Lovingly, she set the frame on the far right corner of the desk.

There was an overwhelming amount of happiness seeping into the air from the picture.

Weiss was glad that she made the final touches, but something still bothered her.

 _It still doesn't look right. Why?_

The doorbell rang.

 _Who could that be?_

Wanting to find out, Weiss left her room and went to the front door. When she got on her tiptoes to look into the peephole, her heart almost leaped out of her chest. What a pleasant surprise.

Instantly, Weiss swung open the door. The guest stood there with the widest grin on her face.

"Hellooooo princess~"

"Yang!" happily, Weiss threw her arms around her. "What are you doing here?"

Cheerfully, Yang returned the embrace and held her close. Lovingly, she nuzzled into the side of her head. "I wanted to see my beautiful girlfriend!"

Weiss pulled away with a knowing look. "What did you really come here for?"

"Well that, and," Yang displayed a few white lilies in her grasp. "I came here to give you these. They remind you of your mom, don't they?"

"They do," Weiss said softly as she smelled the flowers. They were sugary like honey. "Thank you, Yang."

Yang sent her a wide grin. "Last time I was here, your room looked a little empty. I figured these would brighten it up a little," she finished with a sheepish smile.

Fondly, Weiss tugged on her girlfriend's orange scarf. "That's very thoughtful of you."

Yang gave her a thumbs up. "No prob!"

"How did I get such an amazing girlfriend?" Weiss asked genuinely. "What did I do to deserve you?"

"You're you," Yang said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I'd be an idiot to not fall for you."

"Smooth as ever," after they exchanged a quick peck, Weiss invited her inside. "Come in, everything looks much better now."

"Alright! Is your room all set?" Yang asked.

Weiss smelled the white lilies. "Now it is."

"Aw," Yang kissed her on the cheek from the sweet words.

Together, the pair headed inside. Yang had to admit, the house cleaned up well. Having a dad that was once a butler had a lot of perks. Everything shined. Soon, they were in Weiss' room, and Yang's jaw hung open.

"It looks amazing!" Yang gawked as she stepped inside. When she got a look at herself in the large mirror, she smugly smirked. "What's cookin' good lookin'?"

"Are you hitting on yourself?" Weiss asked in amusement.

"Do you have to ask?" Yang said. "You know I am."

When Yang was done checking out the mirror, she slid it open. Only for it to reveal a large closet inside.

"This is insane," Yang commented. "Your closet is hidden!"

"It's a nice touch," Weiss agreed. With care, she set the white flowers on her desk. "Now it's perfect."

Yang stared at the entire room with her hands on her hips. "It really pulls everything together."

Slowly, Weiss pulled her in for another hug as thanks. She rested her head just below the blonde's shoulder. Fondly, Yang returned the embrace and set her chin on top of her head. The hug was warm and overflowed with affection.

"Aw," Yang cooed. "Such a cuddle bug."

"Quiet you," as Weiss pulled away, she locked their lips in a kiss to do exactly that.

Happily, Yang returned the kiss and tightened her grip around her waist and back. In response, Weiss nuzzled closer to the source of warmth. Yang grinned during the kiss as she inched her girlfriend forward. The couple remained ensnared. Weiss was left to wonder why Yang was moving her, but didn't mind as they kissed.

Suddenly, Weiss fell backward and let out a small yelp. She landed safely on the cozy bed. She was left to stare up at her girlfriend, who leaned over her.

Gently, Yang leaned down and whispered in her ear. "Where's Klein?"

The insinuation caused Weiss' cheeks to heat up. "He- he's at work."

Slowly, Yang leaned back up and stared down at her. "I see."

Instead of saying anything, Weiss stared up as lilac eyes met hers. Desire was too weak a word for how Yang looked at her. Weiss was so enraptured by her forwardness that she didn't know what to do, though she yearned to know how her girlfriend would act next. But Yang didn't move. Instead, there was a hint of hesitation in her eyes.

She instantly put the pieces together. Yang wouldn't act unless she was sure that Weiss wanted the same thing. Though it was beyond apparent what Yang wanted. She wanted Weiss.

After a deep breath, she pulled Yang down to meet her.

When their lips met it was like fire coursed through her veins. Weiss pulled down on Yang again and relished the weight of the blonde on top of her as she deepened their kiss. They melted into it, having not been this absorbed into each other for a while.

After several minutes in this manner, the two separated and gazed endearingly into each other's eyes that glinted with passion.

"Weiss, I-"

Another kiss.

"I love you," Weiss finished for her.

"I love you, too. D-do you want to?"

Weiss gave her a timid smile. "Yes. I want to be yours, Yang."

That was all Yang needed to hear as she leaned over her girlfriend, her body boring down on the girl. After another deep kiss, Yang's fingers slid up her girlfriend's skirt. Another shudder of ecstasy rocked Weiss' body as she felt them slowly trail up to the lacy fabric underneath. Slowly, Yang moved her tongue into Weiss's mouth and she unabashedly let out a groan of approval.

Weiss shivered with longing from her girlfriend's warm and soothing touch. Tiny jolts of ecstasy flowed in her body from what was to come. Following her girlfriend's lead, Weiss slid her hand under Yang's shirt and inched her fingers over a sculpted torso. Yang responded by moving into her touch as she let a quiet growl escape.

When Yang latched onto Weiss' silky neck, Weiss' eyes shot open and she gasped. That made her unintentionally arch her back and buck her hips into Yang. The two were blushing madly, especially when Weiss let out a pleasured moan.

That's when Yang leaned in and trailed light kisses from her collarbone to lower neck. Then, Yang began sucking a little harder at the base of her neck. She was sure not to break any skin or leave a mark, but just enough to elicit another feeble moan.

"M-more…"

Yang wasn't expecting that kind of a request or sound to come from her girlfriend. It sounded so lewd, yet she loved it and _needed_ to hear more.

"Hmm," Yang hummed in amusement. "Don't want to keep you waiting."

Carefully, Yang removed the shirt Weiss adorned. She noticed that her girlfriend looked anxious, so Yang removed her top article of clothing as well. Slowly but surely, they traded taking off a single garment of clothing between both of them, Weiss was left lying on the bed bare while Yang, completely nude as well, straddled her waist.

"How is such beauty possible?" Weiss breathed, entranced by Yang's goddess-like body above her.

Yang stared down at her girlfriend's pale and petite body, taking in her now naked form. "I was just thinkin' the same thing about you."

Heat rushed to Weiss' cheeks as the fuel of euphoria was still coursing through her. In silent permission, she dropped her arms beside her head with an inviting smile. Not wanting her to wait, Yang leaned down and kissed her passionately, shooting her tongue forward to meet Weiss' own eager muscle. Slowly, Weiss inched her hands up to Yang's chest. When she reached the alluring and soft part of her girlfriend, Yang let out a quiet moan.

As she worked her hands against Yang, she absently kissed her, careful to take note of what her girlfriend seemed to like. Meanwhile, Yang's fingers played against her chest in her own unique style. Yang moved to kiss Weiss' neck again as she let her palm rub against Weiss's nipple, and it made her involuntarily arched into Yang's touch.

In the midst of it all, fingers glided down over the moist folds that were no longer covered by white lacy fabric. The fingers began to play with them, purposefully avoiding the sensitive spots.

"O-oh god…" Weiss murmured as the cautious fingertips grazed her entrance.

Yang was a little more careful than she liked. To amp it up, Weiss shifted her body in an attempt to press herself against the teasing fingers.

"Yang…"

When Yang's name left her lips, electricity sparked through her body.

"Stop teasing me…"

It was embarrassing to say that, but the teasing was getting unbearable. She _needed_ all of her girlfriend.

"But it's so fun," Yang whispered. "Although, I'd hate to have you beg..."

Despite herself, the blonde obeyed her wishes and kissed her girlfriend's collarbone, continuing down her body until she reached the center of her chest. Yang dragged her lips across her soft, supple skin over her breast before enveloping her erect peak. Her tongue swirled around the areola while she slid a finger into her entrance, sending Weiss into a state of complete bliss.

Weiss' hips bucked and her back formed an arch as she sharply inhaled, clutching a handful of the bedsheets as she did so.

Satisfied with her reaction, Yang continued on her path downwards, dragging her lips across and occasionally kissing her stomach. One of her hands slid down Weiss' waist and hips.

"White? Can't say I'm surprised," the blonde murmured in amusement.

Under normal circumstances, Weiss would have chided her, but she was out of breath. She could only meet Yang's feral gaze as she grasped her blonde mane.

"Stop your te-fuuuuhhh…"

All composure Weiss had was lost when she was kissed in between the legs. Her voice trailed off and she squirmed under Yang's care.

She'd never seen her girlfriend lose her composure like that. It seemed to work as she masterfully licked and swirled her tongue around the pink pearl. Her primal lilac eyes took in her girlfriend's form as she fell apart from her tongue. Weiss let out another pleasured moan, causing Yang to pay attention to that certain spot. To get a better angle, Yang wrapped her arms around both of her pale legs, pulling her closer to the edge of the mattress.

To keep her in that spot, Weiss grabbed a handful of the blonde's hair. An action that caused Yang to lick gleefully like an eager puppy.

Weiss didn't expect her girlfriend to slide a finger inside her along with the licking, which made her body's reaction all the more satisfying. Her back formed an arch as one hand grasped Yang's hair while the other gripped the sheets. Yang continued to slide her finger in and out of her for what felt like forever, all while stimulating her incredibly sensitive clitoris with her tongue.

Weiss' mind was becoming numb. She could sense something building inside of her, but when she felt an unexpected second finger slide into her and increase the pressure, it sent her to another world. Yang could feel Weiss' core tightening around her fingers.

"O-oh god… I'm gonna… you're…" she barely murmured in between sharp, heaving breaths. "I-I'm gonna…"

Weiss couldn't finish her sentence before every muscle in her body began to tighten and convulse. Her hips began to quiver and shake. Her mouth fell open, but no sound came out.

"Nngh…" Weiss threw her head back on the pillow, her eyes squeezed shut.

Yang didn't stop stimulating her girlfriend until she went limp on the mattress. Only then did she remove her fingers and tongue. Yang's reward was Weiss' natural liquid as she licked her fingers clean. Yang savored the taste of pure ecstasy filling her body. She removed her lips from her girlfriend's folds before pressing them against Weiss' lips.

This time, rather than lust, there was a yearning, loving feeling in the kiss.

"Are you okay?" Yang asked, licking her lips.

Weiss was still trying to catch her breath and her face as red as a tomato. "That was..."

The blonde laid beside her on the mattress. Yang took in her girlfriend's form as she fought for breath, still coming down from her high.

"You're so beautiful," Yang said softly as she brushed her white bangs to the side.

It was true that Weiss felt tired, but she felt guilty for not returning the favor. "Round two?"

"Nah, I can tell you're tired," Yang's feral violet eyes shifted back to their normal kind that gaze Weiss loved. "We've had a long day, after all."

"I wonder whose fault that is," Weiss pointed out. "I'll return the favor. When you least expect it, so look forward to it."

"Sounds kinky," Yang replied and pulled her close.

Fondly, Weiss whispered. "Brute."

The two shared a peck, something that relaxed them after the intense passion. They snuggled close, not wanting to pull away.

It didn't take long for slumber to grasp their bodies.

* * *

 **Anyone feel hot after that sauna? Guys?**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	75. The Signal

**The first line can be summed up by saying "they fucked." They did the do. There's no sugar coating it, ladies and gents.**

* * *

After Yang and Weiss shared their magical, intimate moment together, they were naturally closer than ever.

It'd been a few weeks since then and their relationship was healthier than ever.

At first, Weiss wasn't sure what this meant going forward with her girlfriend. However, every time the couple interacted or so much as glanced at each other, she was reassured. Coming together as one was something they both yearned for a long time now.

Those precious moments spent together were like they drifted on clouds. It felt heavenly. Feelings overflowed at that moment, and Yang realized that her heart had skipped a beat.

Somehow, that was achievable even during professor Port's lecture. Weiss certainly knew how to tug on her heartstrings.

A light nudge in her side. It was Ruby, who was smirking.

"What's up, Yang?" Ruby whispered lowly. "You're blushing. Don't tell me Port gets you going."

If Yang had water in her mouth she would've done a spit take. "Don't even joke about that. That's disgusting," she shivered from the mere thought.

"You're still red," Ruby observed teasingly.

Irritated, Yang crossed her arms and looked straight ahead. Suddenly, Port became super interesting.

"Fine, I see how it is," Ruby decided to drop the matter and never lost that infuriating smirk.

About another minute went by before the bell rang.

Before Weiss talked to any of her friends, she approached Port with a question in mind. The man visibly flinched from her presence. This didn't go unnoticed to her friends.

Blake's cat ears flicked as she observed the conversation. Port was in a somewhat guarded position as he responded to whatever Weiss' question was. "He's still scared?" she sounded more annoyed than amused this time.

Yang rolled her eyes, matching her friend's annoyance. "Oh come on! That was at the beginning of the year!"

Ruby heavily sighed. "He really needs to get over it."

Confident, Yang announced. "Watch this."

Before Ruby could grab her shoulder to stop her, Yang was out of reach and headed for the door. She didn't want to torment her poor professor. Just test his reaction to her.

"Weissy!" Yang called as she propped open the door. "Let's go!"

The ladybug pair watched intently for Port's reaction, but he didn't flinch this time.

Impressed with the progress, Blake whispered to her girlfriend. "He's on the way to recovery, I guess."

"Apparently," Ruby agreed.

After Weiss nodded at the professor, she joined her friends and they left the classroom. By now, most of the students cleared out the halls for the next period. This left the hallways all to themselves.

Naturally, Weiss grabbed her girlfriend's hand as they walked side-by-side.

"What'd you talk about with him?" Yang asked Weiss.

"What materials would be on the final," Weiss replied.

"Ohhh," Ruby said knowingly. "Smart. What'd he say?"

"He's not sure yet," Weiss sighed in disappointment. "I figured some professors would have that planned by now."

Blake leaned over and gave her friend a blank expression. "That's a bit ahead of time."

"That's how you study for tests," Weiss stated like it was obvious.

"That's how _you_ study for tests," the faunus replied.

Yang couldn't help but agree. "You gotta admit, it's true."

After Weiss rolled her eyes, the team entered the teacher's lounge. As expected, Glynda and Ozpin were sitting on the couches across each other. They'd been conversing until the door creaked open.

"Sup guys," Yang casually greeted. Like she owned the place, she plopped down on the cushiony sofa next to Goodwitch. "Woah, Glyn. Are those new glasses?"

"They are," Glynda confirmed as she pushed them up slightly. The frames were thinner than the previous pair. "I can't believe you noticed," to show her, she slid off the glasses and carefully handed them to Yang.

"They make your green eyes pop!" Yang exclaimed cheerfully. Jokingly, she set them on her face and faced her team. "How do I look?"

Blake smirked like she'd been waiting for her to ask. "You should get a clipboard. That'd complete the look."

That earned a few light chuckles.

"They are kinda like secretary glasses," Yang slid them off and inspected it. She handed the glasses back to the rightful owner. "They really suit you."

Glynda felt that it was a little odd to be complimented so much by Yang. Normally, she'd find any way to crawl under her skin and push a nerve. She must've been in a good mood, so Glynda wasn't going to complain and happily slid them back on.

"Guys, guys," since Ruby was sitting next to Ozpin, she took off his glasses and before he could react, set them over her face. "How do I look?" she struck a model pose.

Weiss examined the dolt for a second before replying. "Like an old man."

Multiple laughs.

"Look at me, I'm Ozpin," Ruby said jokingly. "I do papers and stuff… wait, what do you even do?"

From the question, Ozpin casually sat there with a blank expression. It was almost like he didn't know what to say. He should've had an obvious answer, but he remained silent as he sipped his coffee.

Goodwitch sent him an annoyed expression and answered for him. "He makes me do all the work."

"What work?" Ruby asked, curious.

"Headmaster things," was all Glynda said as she examined Ruby, who adorned a goofy grin. "You really do look like an old man. Maybe you should be the headmaster instead."

"First order of business!" Ruby announced. "More cookies in the vicinity!"

From her enthusiasm, Weiss sighed. "Settle down, dolt."

Seeing as his students and coworker was making fun of him for having glasses, Ozpin chimed in. "Hey, I need them to see."

Blake leaned over to give him a confused look. "Then why aren't they bigger?"

The small circles barely covered his eyes!

"At the time, they were in fashion," Ozpin bashfully admitted.

"What time?" Yang asked with a smirk, blatantly egging him on. "The 1800's?"

That elicited a few giggles. Somehow, Ozpin replied solemnly.

"My eyesight was perfect back then."

"My god," Blake's comment trailed off as her jaw hung open.

Lovingly, Ruby glanced at her girlfriend. "You might wanna close your mouth before you catch some flies."

Amber orbs were still widened as Blake clamped her mouth audibly shut.

Casually, Yang leaned back on the couch as she stared at the headmaster. "I always forget you're thousands of years old. You just look like you're in your sixties or somethin'."

For the most part, she just looked up to him as a normal headmaster.

Playfully, Weiss elbowed her girlfriend in the gut from the somewhat offensive comment. Ozpin didn't look like he minded it. In fact, it looked like he was enjoying himself as he contentedly sipped his coffee.

"Ow," Yang said more out of reflex than actual pain. "What was that for?"

"For being a brute," the priestess replied.

Yang dramatically placed a hand over her chest in feign hurt. "Getting hurt for who I am, am I?"

Blake simply smirked, taking her chance. "Isn't that the basis of your entire relationship?"

"Oh my god," Yang breathed as she contemplated life. "You're right."

In response, Weiss pecked her cheek. That elicited a blush.

"Eeeeeew," Ruby said with a cringe.

"Oh shut up," Yang playfully rolled her eyes. "You and Blakey are way worse. Especially when there's catnip involved."

From the comment, Blake looked horrified. "Wha- what?! That was one time!"

"And the only time," Ruby added with a smug grin from the memory.

Glynda sent them a perturbed expression. "Do we want to know?"

After suppressing a giggle, Yang answered.

"No, you really don't."

* * *

"Aw," Ruby cooed as she leaned over her chair. "You want some food, boy?"

A bark.

"Ruby," Taiyang called knowingly. "You're the reason Zwei's getting pudgy again."

From the call of his name, Zwei's tail wagged relentlessly as he stared up at Ruby. He plopped on his rear as he watched her hand movement.

The family had been eating dinner for a few minutes now. The window said it was dark outside. Multiple lights gave the kitchen life.

After Yang bit a piece of pork, she replied. "She's the reason he got chubby in the first place."

That earned a light huff from Blake. Like she agreed with Yang but didn't want to say anything.

"Don't give me that," Ruby retorted as she stared at her father. "I see you throw him food when you're cooking sometimes. You think you're sneaky but you're not."

Ruby recalled so many times that Tai checked around when he thought no one was looking. Every time, he never saw the quiet Ruby peeking behind the corner of the wall. Most times, she only went downstairs when she smelled something delicious. Sometimes it'd be so tempting to sneak a peek at what was for dinner.

"T-that's ridiculous!" Tai stammered as he looked down at the corgi. "Isn't that right?"

Another bark.

"See?" Tai said in satisfaction like he had the ultimate witness' approval. "He agrees!"

Blake set down her glass of water. "You're both awful liars."

Yang crossed her arms. "Blakey's tellin' it like it is."

"Thank you!" Ruby exclaimed, glad that they were attacking her Dad now rather than herself.

"You guys are _barking_ up the wrong tree," Taiyang said, proud of the pun. "Eh? Eh?"

His daughters didn't react. At all. They just sat there and stared at him blankly with their hands in their laps. Not even Yang gave him a light giggle or praised him like she normally did.

"Yeesh. Tough crowd."

To back up his comment, all three of his daughters stood at the same time. The chairs slid across the wooden floor and screeched.

"I'm not that bad, am I?!" Taiyang yelped.

"No," Yang replied. "We're done with dindin."

"Oh, okay," Taiyang said, sounding dejected.

Like a good daughter, Yang began stacking the dishes. "Here, I'll help ya."

"You're the best!"

While the blondes of the family cleaned up, the ladybug pair headed upstairs. Until they reached Blake's room, they never stopped holding hands.

"What do you want to do, my dear girlfriend?" Ruby asked.

"Let's see what's on T.V.," Blake replied.

"Oh!" Ruby chirped excitedly. "Maybe Cross the Line's on!"

Eager from the thought, Blake grabbed the remote. "Let's hope."

Binging that show was their favorite pastime. Happily, the couple sat on the couch as they flipped through the channels, sadly finding that their show wasn't airing at this time.

"Aw," Ruby pouted.

"That's too bad," Blake said. "We have another hour."

"Wanna wait until then?" Ruby asked hopefully.

"Uh, yeah," Blake said like the answer was obvious.

A comfortable silence followed.

As they gazed into each other's kind eyes, silver and gold sparkled. Without realizing it, both of them leaned in like it was natural.

Their soft lips pressed together slowly.

Assuming it was okay, Blake's hands began to roam over her girlfriend's body and along her beloved cape. Her worries eased when Ruby followed suit, her soft hands treating Blake's slim back with tender care.

Their kissing went on for several more seconds before they hesitantly separated. That's when they realized their faces were flushed.

"You're so perfect," Ruby murmured as she set her forehead onto Blake's own.

The faunus pecked the tip of Ruby's nose, which elicited an adorable squeal.

"Want to get more… comfortable?" Blake asked, suggestive emphasis in her tone.

Knowing what that implied, Ruby nodded. The couple stood and held hands as they headed for the bed.

A magical night was in store.

Before they could reach the bed, a loud, ear-shattering noise resounded.

That ruined the mood.

From the sudden sharpness, Blake gasped as her cat ears flickered wildly. She covered her sensitive ears as the sound reverberated and sent shockwaves. It felt like it shook the house.

Ruby was affected as well and yelped. She couldn't imagine what her girlfriend was feeling. Despite the harshness of the sound, it carried meaning.

Meaning that it was time.

"Are you okay, Blake?"

Blake nodded, her arms falling to her sides. "Yeah. We have to go."

After the couple rushed into the hallway, they were met with the astonished look on Yang's face.

"Let's go!" Yang yelped.

"No need to say it twice!" Blake hastily replied.

They had to get there!

Together, the trio bolted down the stairs. From the resounding thuds of frantic footsteps, Zwei barked. This caught Taiyang's attention as the three rushed passed him.

"Hey!" Tai called after them. "Where're you going?!"

Before Ruby slammed the door shut, she looked over her shoulder. "We'll be back! Don't wait up!"

His question wasn't answered as his daughters sprinted outside.

"Hurry," Yang beckoned. "Jump on Bumblebee."

Her beloved motorcycle had been waiting at the end of the driveway for them. Just in case something like this were to happen. Like this was rehearsed, the three hopped on the vehicle before Yang gunned it.

"Please be okay."

* * *

 **The last bit may be confusing but you'll find out why next chappy!**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	76. The Night's Ravenous and Cunning

Three shadows blended perfectly in the darkness.

The dome in front of them shimmered a bright, relentless purple as a few snowflakes drizzled from the sky.

When the half-demon arrived at the edge of the dome, she halted. If she were to continue, her life would be at risk.

As a signal, Cinder pointed a finger in two different directions for her followers.

Knowing what that meant, Mercury and Emerald bolted off as the darkness covered their forms. They headed in two different directions.

Not only was darkness their helper, but the trees provided perfect cover.

For the plan, Emerald had her alpha beowolf by her side, while Mercury's deathstalker scampered next to him. Before, Cinder made sure to casted a spell over her rowdy followers to mask any sounds they may make.

Meanwhile, Cinder remained around the perimeter. She didn't dare move forward another centimeter.

The annoying dome had to go.

There were three points to the sacred barrier. Each one had to be destroyed at the same time if this was going to work. With that in mind, Cinder easily found the first point of the protective barrier. It was invisible to the normal eye, but because of her half-demon vision, she was able to see how far she could walk until she was shocked like a dog wearing an electric collar.

That's why her followers had grimm. With the help of grimm, it was easy to point out the barrier weakness points for their human masters.

The barrier that'd been surrounding the temple in a dome shape was a pain. At least before. Now that she had followers to help her break it, it would be easy.

Firmly, Cinder experimentally stepped on the metal in the ground, not surprised that nothing happened. Within a few minutes, the alpha beowolf and deathstalker ran up to her at the same time.

Each monster met her on different sides from where their humans separated.

"Did they find them?"

A small shriek and low growl of affirmation ensued.

"Good," Cinder stated, her amber eyes pierced the darkness. "Go back to them."

Heeding the orders that were set in stone, the beasts scampered back to her followers. After, Cinder conjured a fireball in her hand and shot it to the sky. When the fire exploded, she waited exactly three seconds and murmured under her breath.

When the time limit was up, she heaved a flamethrower at the metal embedded in the chilly grass.

Alone, nothing would happen. Her two minions must've followed through because the metal of the Earth shattered.

The air around her dropped several octaves before the purple barrier shattered into a million pieces.

Cinder smirked and took the first step forward.

* * *

"Are the enhancements done?"

"Patience, Glyn," Ozpin said as his green aura surrounded the floating broom. "I'm almost done."

In the center of the room was a floating, polished Wanda. Beneath Wanda, there were several circles marked on the wooden floor. Scoured in the room were multiple lit candles. More than they could count, but necessary for the process.

Wanda twitched a few times from Ozpin's adjustments. This was to make Wanda more efficient as a weapon and as a form of transportation. Goodwitch could only watch the process with interest. After this, Wanda will be good as new with a few adjustments.

Her beloved broom spazzed before the friendly green smog that enshrouded it lowered it to the ground.

Satisfied, Goodwitch sauntered to the middle of the room. She picked up Wanda and analyzed her, finding that she felt as smooth as ever. The bristles were pricklier. A couple of bumps were at the end of the wooden portion.

"She feels better than ever," Goodwitch said with a smile. "Thank you."

It was true that she hadn't used her in action yet, but her broom felt like it was ready. She could easily tell that Wanda was in much better condition now. Not like she was in poor condition before, but now she was brand new times a thousand.

"It was my pleasure," Ozpin offered her a grin. "Why don't we clean this up and get some coffee?"

"That would be divine."

After the professors blew out a few candles, there were several tremors all around them. The noise was so loud it was like glass shattered directly in their ears. They almost recoiled to avoid the shards.

"Glynda," Ozpin's voice raised in alarm. "The barrier."

In response, Glynda poised her broom at the ceiling. "It was only a matter of time."

On the bumpy end of Wanda, a sonic boom erupted directly upward. The pulses reverberated for miles as the ground and air itself shook.

The pulsations can only be heard by a select few. Those with unlocked auras.

In seconds, several beowolves charged into the room. To deflect them, Ozpin stabbed them in rapid succession with his cane. The few that managed to dodge were met with the harshness of Wanda.

Combat was anything but organized. When some beowolves vanished, even more rushed in. Several lit candles tilted over and rolled dangerously onto the wooden floor.

Knowing that they at least had to get out of the cramped room, Glynda hopped on her broom and shot directly to Ozpin. So far, it felt like the enhancements worked. Wanda was excessively fast. Almost faster than what she could keep up with.

Just as Ozpin dodged a swipe from a beowolf, she grabbed him by the collar and forcefully yanked him off the floor. Before he could choke to death, the two soared out of the room. Ozpin was left to dangle and gather his wits before twisting his body to jump on the broom behind Goodwitch.

"Thank you, Glyn."

"And thank you for the enhancements."

Multiple snarling beowolves chased their prey. Various howls rocked the temple along with heavy paws.

Determined, Goodwitch veered quickly to the left, only to be met by a few creeps. Because those grimm are lower to the ground, she didn't see them in time. She had no time to halt or veer away and smashed directly into them.

The professors gave startled grunts as they flew over the grimm.

"Agh," Glynda groaned as she rubbed her back. It took the full force of the blow when she tumbled on the carpet.

To add to the pain, the creeps' sturdy tails landed a few blows on the downed teachers. They didn't have time to gain their bearings, so they were easy targets.

Once they recovered, they were surrounded by those creeps and rapidly approaching beowolves. Black smoke ominously followed the pack and heated the entire building. The air was getting warm. Almost hot.

Glynda grit her teeth as she clutched Wanda. The creeps were trying to stall for the pack to tear them apart.

"We don't have time for this."

Ozpin agreed, so he shouted. "Spectacles!"

Knowing the drill, the pair hopped on the broom and spun rapidly. One-by-one, the weaker creeps were knocked backward, eliciting high-pitched screeches. If the professors could cover their ears, they would. However, they had to hold on.

"Cinder can control them!" Glynda exclaimed as she blocked a sturdy grimm tail with her foot.

"Theory-" Ozpin kicked a creep's jaw. "-confirmed!"

Suddenly, his partner, Glynda, was slammed from behind. A yelp ripped from her lungs when she was forcefully swiped off the broom. Now that Wanda's master was no longer in control, the broom dropped to the floor like dead weight.

This left Ozpin with few options as he stumbled, trying to gain his footing as multiple rounds of tails almost nailed him. With no choice, he utilized his cane and stabbed the grimm in rapid succession. All the while, the headmaster made sure to protect his friend.

When a beowolf almost clawed the downed Goodwitch, Ozpin used his cane like a baseball bat and cracked its jaw. A pop sound ensued with a satisfying screech.

"Thanks for the save," Glynda complimented as he hastily helped her get to her feet.

The room was filled with heat. Smoke invaded their lungs.

"We need to get out of here," Ozpin observed.

"Brilliant observation, professor," Goodwitch said sassily.

If the pack caught up to them, they'd be stalled. The major threat wasn't the grimm, it was the smoke. It wouldn't take long to succumb to smoke inhalation. That'd no doubt slower their movements and chances of escaping the burning temple.

Wasting no time, Ozpin grabbed his partner's hand and the two dashed to the exit. Along the way, they narrowly dodged a few swipes and tail-swings.

"I told you the candles were a fire hazard," Glynda complained and let out a strained cough.

Dozens of grimm were hot on their tail. The smoke fogged the entire building and menacing snarls loomed within.

"Like you cared before!" Ozpin retorted.

It was getting harder to breathe. Sprinting so fast didn't help their case. Their lungs began to burn from the exercise and deadly smog. The professors began to cough, which compelled them to pick up the pace.

They were so close. The door was in sight, although enshrouded by the thick black.

Howls overshadowed the atmosphere. The clattering of paws grew frantic with every stride. Glynda and Ozpin could only dash forward as more coughs racked their bodies.

While Ozpin tried to open the front door, Glynda shot off multiple rounds of yellow bolts from her broom. This knocked down a few of the closest monsters, which bought precious time.

The rest of the horde was gaining on them. It was then that Ozpin swung open the door with all his might. A rush of fresh air breezed passed them as they grabbed each other's hands for support.

Letting go was the last thing they wanted. Their sense of security depended on the other person.

Together, they leaped out the front door. Several beowolves lunged after them-

\- until a powerful punch rippled through the entire pack, sending the monsters sprawling back inside.

The group of darkness was obliterated as the air dropped a few octaves.

A familiar war cry pulsated throughout the entire forest. To finish the job, Yang lingered closely by the door to exterminate any grimm that dared come after her professors. Smoke could be seen from the distance, so she wasn't too keen on going deep inside.

Her three teammates grabbed Glynda and Ozpin and coaxed them to a safer distance. They were still coughing and panting. Their outfits were covered in soot and dirt. However, now they were getting some fresh air and could breathe again.

"You're okay," Ruby said calmly as she held onto Glynda's arm. "We got you. You are okay, right?"

"Yes, Ruby. Just winded," Goodwitch breathed. "Thank you."

She didn't seem to be lying. Aside from being out of breath and winded, the professors seemed fine.

While Blake kept an arm around Ozpin's waist, she said softly. "Let's go a little further."

Weiss was on the other side of the man, acting as a crutch. Ozpin didn't have trouble walking. He was just having a hard time gulping for air.

When the three led the teachers over to Yang's motorcycle, Bumblebee, they took a moment to process things. The professors took a few minutes to catch their breath. When they breathed steadily again, that caused the relic hunters to feel relief.

"Thank god," Ruby sighed. "How're you feeling?"

"Better," Ozpin replied firmly. "Your timing was impeccable."

When Glynda felt well-enough, she spoke. "You all saved our lives."

Ruby waved dismissively. "Psh, nah, we just did as we were told."

Ozpin nodded. "That may be, but you all deserve praise nonetheless."

Not wanting to make small talk, Weiss chimed in.

" _She's_ here?"

"Yes," Ozpin stated even though he hadn't seen _her_. "The barrier broke."

"Good," Blake chirped solemnly. "Going as planned so far."

If there was one thing she liked, it was playing it by the books.

While the relic hunters left their professors to exchange conversation, they kept firm eyes on the scorched temple. It was like the entire building was boiling as smoke rose in the air, joining the overcast sky.

For a moment, things felt oddly calm. It was then that the right side of the building was destroyed. Judging by the ensuing war cry, Yang was responsible. More grimm must've been in there than they thought. Perhaps they infested all the rooms.

"I'm going to help Yang," Weiss mentioned sternly.

When her teammates nodded in approval, bolted to her beloved girlfriend. Luckily, her fears ebbed away when Yang strolled out of the temple with her signature wide grin. Her blonde mane was frazzled and in disarray, but she seemed fine.

The smoke burned behind her and rose to the dark sky, shrouding the moonlight.

As Yang dusted off her brass knuckles, she announced. "Taken care of."

"Good job," Weiss praised and pecked her on the cheek.

From the kiss, Yang said cheerfully. "I feel rejuvenated already."

"Sure you are," Weiss said sarcastically and checked her over for injuries. "Are you okay?"

In response, Yang cracked her knuckles. "That wasn't even a warm-up."

Satisfied with the answer, the couple started to walk back to their teammates and guardians.

"It's going to be a long night," the priestess said, her tone suggesting that she wasn't looking forward to it.

From that, Yang smirked. "It's inevitable. Let's kick some ass then go on a date."

After playfully rolling her eyes, Weiss said. "You couldn't have worded that more romantically?"

Yang sent her a deadpan look. "Our temple is burning and you're worried about semantics?"

"My priorities are in order," Weiss replied.

That earned a light chuckle. Soon enough, they joined their friends by Yang's motorcycle. Glynda and Ozpin seemed to have fully recovered. The group were on edge and on guard.

"You got them all?" Blake asked.

"Yep," Yang reported, popping the 'p.'

Satisfied, Blake used her night vision to locate the main threat as she glanced around with sharpness.

To her mild shock, there were dozens of grimm surrounding them. Red eyes pierced the darkness and hid behind the dense shrubbery.

"Lots of grimm..." the faunus described.

"Okay," Ruby said intently. "Anything else?"

Seconds later, Cinder and her minions emerged from the shadows.

Yang finished for her friend.

"... and three assholes."

* * *

 **The chapter title is after the lyrics from Cross the Line by Amalee.**

"' **The night's' approaching. 'Ravenous and cunning', but there is a droplet of hope still shining!"**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	77. I Forgive You

Snow drizzled from the dark sky.

Heaps of black masses with daunting red eyes encircled the alert group. The dense forestry provided cover for the grimm, but the low snarls gave them away.

In the background, the temple burned as smoke lingered to the sky and engulfed the moonlight. The black shrouded over the faint rays and provided an eerie atmosphere.

Cinder took in the sight of the determined relic hunters and professors, she frowned. "How unpleasant."

Yang, who was rearing to fight, cracked her knuckles. "We can say the same thing about you, half-demon."

That comment caused Cinder's face to snap. It was a subtle change in her expression. One that almost went unnoticed. It was similar to how Glynda's face warps sometimes. It was obvious that the name mixed with Cinder's past in a negative way.

"Oh," Yang egged her on, taking the silence as her cue to continue. "Struck a nerve, huh?"

Eager to defend her, Emerald shouted. "Shut up!"

Instead of retorting, Cinder simply held out her arm to keep Emerald from doing anything rash. From experience, the half-demon was well-aware that she would jump to her defense on instinct. All rationality would be tossed out the window.

Emerald looked at her curiously and obeyed, stepping back.

Cautiously, Blake tugged on her blonde friend's sleeve to keep her grounded. That was the reassurance Yang needed to back off a little. They still didn't know the full extent of Cinder's powers. They didn't want to piss her off and have her dive into a rage yet.

"Yang," Blake whispered.

"I know."

"Last chance," Mercury strutted forward with a smug leer. "Give us the relics."

In response, a sniper rifle was lifted, a rapier was poised, a katana hovered, and brass knuckles were raised. Ozpin and Glynda stared, proud of the team. Goodwitch grasped her broom tightly while Ozpin slammed his cane into the grass.

"Or…" Cinder stepped forward and stood next to her underling. "Perish. The choice is yours."

For a moment, it was a standstill. It felt like it would last for eternity. The breeze grazed their cheeks and almost calmed the tension. Any signs of snow had ceased and the snowflakes had failed to drift to the ground.

In the foreboding silence, Emerald stayed behind her allies as she processed her master's words.

 _She does want to kill them?_ Emerald thought, exasperated. _That- that can't be. Cinder's a hardass sometimes but she wouldn't murder people, would she?_

Her thoughts went back to how Cinder saved her on the fateful day. How she saved not only her, but Mercury as well. From the vicious claws of death. It was almost unfathomable that her master could commit such a heinous act that was murder, so she kept telling herself that it was a bluff. An intimidation tactic.

Thinking that had to be the reason, Emerald stepped forward to be by Cinder's side.

Team RWBY and their guardians held their defensive stances. They weren't going to start the fight. That was the most important thing they all agreed on. The first move would have to be from the enemy.

With silence as her cue, Cinder snapped her fingers. On command, the pack of beowolves that surrounded them pounced with menacing roars.

Like Weiss had been waiting for the command, she shot off a white light from her rapier. The strike of light burst into the center of the pack before they could get within striking range. The tiara over her side ponytail, locket around her neck, and bangle around her wrist glowed blindingly along with the blast.

Since her friends and guardians knew that was coming, they covered their eyes in time as the area flashed like strobe lights at a concert.

White. Everything was white for a few crucial moments.

Cinder's satisfying shriek ensued. It was like a serpent was writhing in pain.

Before the light faded, Ruby said calmly.

"Good start, team."

"Hell yeah," Yang stated.

The arena had been cleared out. There were no grimm in sight.

Not wasting any time, Yang launched at the closest person. The unfortunate soul happened to be Mercury, who was dazed from the light and could barely see. He was an easy, stunned target as Yang landed a solid punch in his abdomen.

A heavy gasp ensued, but surprisingly, Mercury caught himself and stayed on his feet. "That was…" he gulped for breath. "A cheap shot!"

Sensing that he was infuriated, Yang held up her brass knuckles and bounced back and forth on her feet like a boxer. "Then get revenge for it, asshole."

That made Mercury growl ominously like those beowolves.

In seconds, Mercury was in front of her. She reeled her arm back for a blow to his face, but her fist met a leg of steel.

* * *

Worried, Emerald tended to Cinder, who was clutching her arm in pain.

"My lady? My lady?" Emerald asked, almost afraid to touch her without permission. "Are you okay? What can I do to help?"

The half-demon let out a low snarl as her eyes were squeezed shut. Slowly, she opened them as she glared at the team in front of her. Hatred seeped into those amber orbs as they landed on one person in particular. Cinder grit her teeth, her face in a light grimace. Without aid, Cinder stood and held out her hand directly at Weiss.

"You damned priestess!" she hissed. "Don't forget I can do this to you!"

In retaliation, a grape purple glow enshrouded the half-demon's palm. That must've been the source of the curse because in that moment, Weiss' heart seized as she gasped.

Unfortunately, the priestess and demon were connected.

A hand flew to her chest as her blood boiled in a second. She bent forward and squeezed her eyes shut as sweat beaded down her forehead. It felt like thousands of needles rammed into her skin. Weiss was sure that if there wasn't a seal, then the pain would have been so much more excruciating. There'd been worse spells before this, so she fought through the pain and remembered to keep breathing.

"Weiss," Ruby worriedly called and placed a hand on her back. "Are you okay?"

Pale hands clutched her chest tightly. Breathe. Just breathe. Soft pants switched to deep breaths in a few seconds. When the pain gradually ebbed away, Weiss regained her posture.

"I'm fine now," Weiss reassured. That caused Cinder to look at her, skeptical. "We expected this, remember? It's nothing we can't handle."

"Glad to hear it," Ruby replied, keeping a hand around her waist.

While Ruby made sure Weiss was okay, Blake's gaze fixed on the half-demon. She undoubtedly looked confused as to how her friend recovered so fast. That caused the faunus to smirk as her cat ears were perked up and alert, ready for any sneak attacks.

The seal was working perfectly. The pain become a dull ache. Even right now, Ozpin was working tirelessly to keep the seal intact. A light green color glowed from her chest and vanished as quickly as it reappeared.

Because of the color, Cinder knew _exactly_ why the curse wasn't as effective. However, the effects of the curse were still there, so Weiss remained frozen in case the pain rushed back.

Ruby kept a close eye on her while she trusted Blake to watch the enemy's movements.

* * *

Multiple punches and kicks were exchanged as grunts of effort rang out.

It was true that Yang had the advantage at first, but their combat skills were comparable.

"Come on, blondie," Mercury taunted, stepping back a bit.

"I'm gonna take that stupid smirk of yours and shove it into the ground!"

The opponents collided for another round.

Yang managed to block several kicks from Mercury, but was caught off guard when he suddenly dropped to the ground. Swiftly, he rocketed a kick to her chin. The impact was so devastating it felt like steel collided with bone.

"Agh!"

The blonde grunted and flew back forcefully from the hit, only to backflip and land perfectly on her feet. The jab hurt like hell, but her aura took most of the blow. The second she landed, she received several more kicks. Her opponent didn't want to give her a second to recover.

While she blocked the harsh blows, she dented her foot into the ground before reeling back for a devastating punch to break through his iron-like defenses. After a few hard punches, Mercury found himself on the ground.

Before Yang could land another blow while he was down, he shot white orbs from his boots.

"What the-"

Yang stumbled back, having no idea what the hell was happening.

From the sidelines, Blake watched in awe. "Woah… is that his semblance?"

"Looks like it," Ruby confirmed.

The ladybug pair would go help Yang, but they placed their faith in her. They had other enemies to deal with for now.

The spheres caused Yang to step back in a daze. The sudden brightness in the dark night was almost blinding. Mercury used that as an advantage he struck her relentlessly. In that time, Mercury gathered a horde of the white spheres as they encircled his opponent.

When he hopped back, he brought his leg down. Like his leg controlled the orbs, they attacked Yang from all sides.

As Yang felt like she was punched mercilessly in rapid succession, she unintentionally grunted and yelped before falling backward.

When the orbs vanished and Mercury saw her lying there in a heap, he thought he won the battle. "That's what you get for being arrogant."

Satisfied, Mercury wiped off his hands on his pants. He was about to join his companions, but was shocked to hear a shout from behind.

"Says you!"

To his surprise, Yang looked recharged from the beat-down.

"I'm not done with you."

Lilac eyes warped to a deep crimson. Yang didn't want to use her semblance just yet, so she took a deep breath and pounded her fists together in a fit of rage.

Without giving him time to compose himself, she flew at him with unrivaled speeds as she rocketed a right cross to his face.

* * *

The half-demon was irritated that Weiss managed to compose herself so fast.

What irritated her further was that Ruby and Blake refused to leave her side.

Her anger only increased when she noticed the green smog around her chest.

It was only there for a second, but she saw it. The only reason that was there was because of the enemy that screwed her over all those years ago.

Ozpin.

Cinder was about to call for more grimm. Until a loud rumble reverberated throughout the forest.

The violent sound crumpling stole everyone's attention. Even Mercury and Yang took a moment to pause the fight to see what was happening.

A huge chunk of the temple had collapsed. In its place, the flames ate like it was a feast. Dense black smoke rose from the entirety of the building and joined the restless sky.

From the sight, Weiss froze. The smoke and flames were hauntingly familiar. The last time she saw something like this, her precious childhood home burned to the unforgiving ground.

What's worse, her mother suffered a cruel fate that day.

That day, that daunting face melted with the flames as child Weiss fell from the window...

Weiss' undeniable, traumatized expression didn't go unnoticed to Cinder. It was then that the cunning half-demon suspiciously whispered something in Emerald's ear.

After a nod, Emerald held a hand to her forehead.

* * *

She was suffocating. The air around her vanished and was replaced by toxic fumes. She coughed and puffs of black spewed out.

There was no escape. The orange flames roared all around her, threatening to devour her. These weren't the friendly flames that she was used to. These weren't from Yang. Her's always felt so protective and warm. No, these were sinister.

Ash burnt her skin and charred it black. Her normally pale pallor was red from the sheer heat. The burns weren't nearly as painful as not being able to breathe. She had to get out of here-

There was no escape.

Instead of panicking, Weiss lowered her head and took a deep breath. She expected more smoke to invade her lungs. Instead, it was fresh air.

 _This isn't real,_ Weiss told herself. _This isn't real._

Determined, Weiss raised her head and kept her eyes closed. When she was ready, she took another deep breath as the crackling flames lingered in her ears.

Blue orbs reopened. To her shock, there was a wicked face in front of her. Blended with the inferno was the face of evil. The flames howled as Cinder joined the inferno. The demon was a woman. A woman with short black hair and wicked amber eyes that filled with seething anger.

That devilish smirk...

It was haunting. It crept into her very soul.

Why couldn't she even breathe?

 _Breathe,_ Weiss told herself. _Just breathe. This is an illusion. This already happened. It's not real._

To confirm her theory, she heard someone's shouts. Sounded like Ruby.

The priestess took another deep breath and was fresh air.

Despite Cinder's devil-like face that melted into the flames, Weiss didn't feel afraid. Rather, she felt confident. It was time to confront what happened over a decade ago.

To show that she wasn't frightened, Weiss stepped forward.

Azure clashed with fiery amber.

"I forgive you."

The illusion was skeptical. Cinder held the most intimidating appearance she could muster and Weiss hadn't batted an eye.

"What?" the smoky Cinder replied, puzzled. "I killed your mother. You must be seething with hatred."

Hatred?

That word didn't feel right.

Weiss took a moment to process those words. She didn't think she hated Cinder. Not even when she gave her a thousand reasons why she should. This confused Weiss. Why didn't she hate Cinder?

She killed her mother. Her favorite person in her entire life.

Despite that, not once did she ever feel the feeling of hatred. Not once in her life. She didn't even know what that meant. What the word entailed. The ugly emotions that came with it. She didn't even feel it as she stood here in front of her mother's murderer.

"Like I said before, I forgive you."

Forgiveness…

That felt right. She felt she could trust that.

Her heart felt fuller when she said that. It was like a weight was off her shoulders.

The illusion shrieked like a hissing snake. Those words rattled Cinder's very existence.

Maybe this illusion fed off hatred and loathing. Maybe negative emotions were needed to fuel this version of Cinder. Since there was nothing negative emanating from the priestess, it was futile.

Cinder held onto her head like it was going to burst.

All Weiss could do was watch with a sad smile.

* * *

"Weiss!"

At last, Ruby's pleas snapped her out of her stupor. Until now, Weiss had been in a trance-like state. She'd been trapped in her own mind.

When awareness sparked in those blue eyes, Ruby sighed in relief.

"Ruby?" Weiss looked to her.

The sniper had a hand around her back, making sure to keep her standing.

"Whew, I thought we lost you," Ruby said, visibly thankful that her friend was okay. "You are okay, right?"

"Yes, I'm fine," Weiss reassured.

When Blake watched her friend compose herself, she smiled timidly. She wasn't lying. Now determined, Blake pointed to Emerald in the distance. "Illusions must be her semblance."

Weiss nodded in agreement, showing that her friend's guess was correct. "Perceptive as always. I think you found the perfect opponent."

Both skilled in the art of trickery? Blake couldn't wait to see how this would go.

When Emerald realized that her illusion was forcibly broken, she frowned at the three from a safe distance.

Blaringly, Yang and Mercury's grunts echoed. In the forest, Cinder and Ozpin clashed. The cane and dual swords colliding caused pulsating sonic booms to reverberate several miles.

"Woah," Ruby murmured. "Oz is fast!"

In the darkness, there were streaks of green and red. The opponents were moving too rapidly for the naked eye.

Not far away, Glynda was fighting off another horde of grimm. She was holding them off as she flew around on Wanda, sending out small bolts of dark yellow strikes. The professor focused on making sure no grimm could sneak up on Yang, who was still locked in combat with Mercury.

Out of the corner of their eye, Emerald rushed the three with her giant alpha beowolf by her side. This caused the ladybug pair to take defensive stances.

"Ruby," Blake said.

"Yep!"

Before waiting for her opponent to reach them, Blake shot off like a rocket. While she was soaring, she used her semblance to make two clones that flanked both of her sides.

Meanwhile, Ruby dashed ahead of her girlfriend with her semblance. Successfully, Ruby intercepted the alpha beowolf by sideswiping it with her gun. To grab its full attention, Ruby shot it in the chest. This didn't do much, but now the alpha wasn't concerned with Blake. That was all that mattered.

Trusting her girlfriend to handle the powerful grimm, Blake threw herself at Emerald. They were both skilled in trickery, but Blake was more perceptive.

Emerald didn't know which Blake was the real one, so she took a wild guess and thrust her dual kamas at the middle one.

Luckily, Blake had cat-like reflexes and dodged the lethal jab just in time by slightly tilting to the right. Thanks to this, the three of her sliced her chest and arms. That elicited a grunt as Blake flipped over and landed perfectly on her feet behind the stunned Emerald.

Emerald was left dazed as she whirled around to find her opponent, who was crouched low, getting ready for another attack.

Emerald held up her kamas just in time to block another assault. This time, she gained enough momentum and propelled forward, which caught Blake by surprise and knocked her off-balance.

When she stumbled for a brief moment, Emerald took that as her chance and whacked her in the chest. It was a direct hit and the faunus went flying backward with great force.

Luckily, most of her aura absorbed the blow. Blake counted her lucky stars and noted she wouldn't let another hit like that one happen again.

In mid-air, Blake gave a grunt of effort and flipped around, firmly landing on her feet. The moment she touched the grass, she received more slashes that she was barely able to deflect and parry with her katana.

The two pushed forward on their weapons before falling back.

"Why're you doing this?" Blake questioned.

Her tone wasn't accusatory. More like genuine.

"I owe Cinder _everything_ ," Emerald said sincerely. "I have nothing personal against you."

"It's not too late-"

"Shut up!"

With astonishing speed, Emerald lunged and struck her with the lethal weapon. Luckily, she struck one of Blake's clones instead. It vanished before her eyes as she whipped her head around.

"A fake?!"

This was Blake's chance, so she slashed her back in rapid succession. She never liked attacking from behind, but right now, she felt it was necessary.

In response, Emerald shrieked in pain. Despite herself, she whirled around and spun the kamas wildly. Blake hopped back, narrowly dodging the sharp, gleaming edges.

"This is getting annoying," Emerald growled.

Blake just stared, golden orbs shimmered in the moonlight.

The sounds of battle resonated as the wind swirled.

* * *

 **The chapter title is from Here.** " **There is a part of me that wants to forgive you. But I will not forget. I can't understand… yet."**

 **Now that Weiss understands her after all they've been through, she can forgive Cinder for killing her mother.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	78. Turn the Tide

The sounds of battle resonated as the wind swirled.

After heaving for breath, Ruby wiped the sweat off her forehead. That alpha beowolf put up a tough fight. It was fast, but not fast enough to match her unrivaled speeds.

 _Sorry,_ Ruby thought unapologetically. _You're not going to hurt Blake._

After Ruby hopped off the corpse, she adjusted her beloved sniper rifle and reloaded it. She'd used a ton of ammo against the grimm. After, she gazed around the forest. The moonlight and burning temple provided the perfect light for her to see in the darkness.

Blake and Emerald seemed to be evenly matched. Ruby wondered if she should go help her girlfriend or Yang, who caught her attention in the form of a grunt.

 _They're holding their own,_ Ruby observed. _I don't want to throw off their tempo._

A fragile yelp.

A deathstalker a few feet away gave a menacing screech directly at Goodwitch, who was floating on her broom. The shockwave was so powerful that it stunned the professor and made her spin dizzyingly like she lost control of Wanda.

Before, the deathstalker tried to come to Mercury's aid. The blonde brawler was more of a match than he originally thought, so he called for backup. Unfortunately for him, Glynda was there to intercept the monster before it could lay a pincer on her precious student.

Swiftly, Ruby aimed her gun and shot the beast directly in one of its eyes before it could claw the dazed Glynda. A red orb popped and oozed crimson, and the scorpion-like grimm gave a pained shriek.

That did the trick. Grateful, Glynda sent Ruby a nod. Directly after, the professor shot out a yellow bolt into the exposed skin, where the eye used to be. The pincers flailed wildly, and that was enough to give Goodwitch an opening for a few more critical hits.

"Ruby!"

The call undoubtedly came from her beloved girlfriend.

"Yeah, Blake?!" Ruby instantly replied, thinking she may need help.

The faunus was panting slightly as she rested her katana by her side. In front of her, Emerald lightly heaved and composed herself. Before Blake could think, her opponent dashed to her, trying not to give her time to recover.

When the two clashed, Blake pushed forward with all her might on her sword. Her muscles strained in protest, but she didn't mind.

"Oz and Weiss need help!" Blake exclaimed.

Her words rang true. In the distance, there were clashes of red, green, and white. The red was too swift for the green and white to keep track of. Crimson collided against them several times. Multiple grunts ensued as they became a blur.

"I'm on it!" Ruby reassured.

Until now, Ruby had been content with helping whoever needed it. She'd made several last-minute saves so far. It was finally time to engage with the half-demon. Ruby's blood boiled in excitement. Cinder was undoubtedly fast, but was she faster than Ruby?

Several fireballs whizzed past Ozpin and Weiss, who narrowly tumbled out of the way in time. Where the flame spheres landed, the grass and trees ignited in smoke and fiercely hissed. They would've been burned alive if their reflexes weren't so sharp.

"W-woah," Weiss stammered.

"Be careful, Weiss," Ozpin ordered.

"Are you okay, Oz?" the priestess asked. Part of the man's skin was scorched black, but there were no burns present.

Ozpin pushed up his glasses as he stared at the devilish woman. "Yes, are you?"

"I'm ready to go."

With that, Weiss launched off one of her glyphs. Ozpin was left to back her up.

In midair, she whirled her rapier for a direct blow into the half-demon's torso. However, Cinder was ready to counterattack and readied herself with the pair of dual swords. The metal gleamed under the moonlight as Weiss rapidly neared.

 _Oh no,_ Weiss thought. _This won't be enough._

Weiss was sure that she wouldn't be able to break through her defenses. At least until a bullet whizzed by directly to the left. The bullet struck Cinder in the shoulder, which caused to lower her arms in pain. Only to realize her mistake a split second later.

 _Ruby!_ Weiss thought. _Thank you!_

There was another bullet soaring straight at the half-demon. She was white and emblazoned the darkness. With Cinder's defenses down, Weiss slammed into her opponent with a devastating force.

Cinder let out a yelp, which caused a smirk to form on Weiss' lips.

The two crashed to the ground, leveling the ground and making a dent in the area. The priestess had effectively pinned her opponent to the ground.

Satisfied to see her eyes closed, Weiss got off Cinder once she stopped struggling and took a defensive stance a few feet away. An attack like that wouldn't kill a powerful enemy like her. Weiss fully anticipated that she'd get back up in a second.

Like the attack was nothing, Cinder leaned up without effort and erupted into furious flames.

"You wench!"

From the intimidating flames, Weiss hesitantly stepped back with Myrtenaster poised.

A shout came from behind. "Move!"

Swiftly, Ozpin pushed Weiss out of the way just before the livid half-demon could impale her with a blade.

In time, Ozpin used his cane to block several slashes from the raging inferno. The two were engaged in fierce melee combat. Each of them zipped past the other and then clashed again and again. Several poor trees were knocked over in the chaos.

While they fought, Ruby caught up to Weiss.

"Thank you for the save earlier, Ruby."

"No problem, Weiss," Ruby happily replied. "How're you holding up?"

After a deep breath, Weiss admitted. "She's a lot tougher than I thought. Ozpin expected this, though. He hasn't been letting up."

"For an old man he can kick some," Ruby said, silver eyes watching the colliding green and red.

There were various familiar yelps in the distance. In response, the pair whipped their heads to check on their teammates. Since they were so busy dealing with Cinder, they didn't know how their friends were holding up.

Unbeknownst to them, another round of grimm had been summoned. There was an overwhelming amount of them. Blobs of darkness encircled Yang, who was busy with the monsters and Mercury.

It was mesmerizing to watch Yang expertly dodge a kick from Mercury, and then swing a punch directly in a creep's snout before deflecting another kick. The blonde dodged most hits, but she was slowing down. It was obvious that she was having trouble juggling all these opponents. And she wasn't the only one. Glynda fought hard to pick off as many grimm as possible that surrounded Yang, but there were simply too many.

"Oh no, Yang!" Ruby said as she cocked her sniper rifle, intending to pick off grimm as well.

"Hold on, Ruby," Weiss said softly as she lowered her gun.

Ruby took a moment to realize what her friend was saying. After a firm nod, Ruby smiled.

Just before Yang was almost hit in the back of the head by creep's sturdy tail, Ruby cupped her hands over her mouth.

" **Cover!** "

In a split second, the priestess shot off a streak of white light from the tip of her rapier as her bangle, tiara, and locket glowed. Before she could do so, everyone, including the guardians, dropped everything to cover their eyes.

Before, Blake narrowly dodged a slash from Emerald and she tumbled to the ground with a grunt. The faunus used the grass as cover. On instinct, Yang had ducked while covering her eyes. Glynda floated above everyone and faced the other way until it was safe.

The white hypnotic spark flashed several times before fading. The entire horde vanished like it was never there. Since their opponents didn't see the blinding flash coming, they were left dazed.

"Weiss!" Yang worriedly chided while Mercury was busy wiping his eyes. "Save your energy! That was the second burst!"

"I'm okay, Yang!" Weiss called back in reassurance. She didn't sound out of breath and her voice projected well. "Mother helped me!"

Lilac eyes scanned her girlfriend. Weiss must've meant that the jewelry that belonged to her mother was helping her. Which was true. Weiss didn't even look tired at all. In fact, she looked like she was in better condition than Yang herself.

To reassure her, Ruby checked Weiss' heartbeat by placing a hand over her back. Weiss was about to protest, but stayed still.

"She's not lying, Yang."

Yang looked visibly relieved by that information. From experience, she knew that her girlfriend tired from excessive use of her purification abilities. The increased number of relic pieces probably helped keep the exhaustion at bay, too.

"Oh thank god…" Yang breathed. "Welp, good work!"

Since she was so focused on her girlfriend, Yang wasn't aware of anything else. Nothing really mattered. Her girlfriend was always the top priority. Imagine her surprise when her entire body shifted to the right several meters so suddenly that she almost fell over.

"W-woah!"

A sparkling sigil was beneath her feet. Where she was standing a moment ago was Mercury, who adorned a frown from missing his chance.

"Thanks, princess!"

"Pay attention, blondie!" Mercury yelled.

Instantly, Yang was struck in the torso by one of his steel legs. Due to the course of battle, his movements were inevitably slower. This gave Yang enough time to grab that leg and throw him to the side.

Fortunately for him, he kept his footing.

"Aw, you want my attention?" Yang asked with a smirk.

Mercury let out a snarl. Unfortunately, Yang was stuck with mostly parrying and barely dodging his jabs. Every strong kick caused a dent in her aura. His legs were so powerful that they felt like steel.

Steel eventually collided with bone and Yang was sent soaring backward with a yelp.

"Agh!"

Rather than the soft grass, Yang crashed into a tree. The air was strangled from her lungs as she coughed and gasped. Her yellow form slid down agonizingly slow.

It was harder to breathe.

Before Mercury could land another kick in her torso, Yang gathered her wits and dove out of the way.

* * *

There was a red blur that was threateningly livid as it approached the white and rose duo.

It was moving so impossibly fast that Ruby didn't have time to even think-

Luckily, she didn't think. Her body reacted on instinct. She held up her sniper rifle, which acted as a barrier from the half-demon.

"Give me the relics!"

The daunting dual swords shined under the moonlight and almost caused Ruby to lose her footing. Instead, Ruby grit her teeth and stood her ground, using all the strength in her body to keep Cinder from advancing.

She wasn't going to advance so much as an inch if Ruby had a say about it.

Those eyes were a fiery amber. Cinder's outfit was burning, and the dark crimson in her shoulder was dry. Perhaps the bullet wound from earlier had already healed. It did nothing to detract from her daunting strength.

"You're not…" Ruby stuttered, finding the strength in her voice and body. "... getting them!"

That was the push Cinder needed. Before Ruby could react, the half-demon pushed her to the side like she was a mere fly. From the raw strength, Ruby whizzed past her entire team with a squeal like a mouse.

"Ruby!"

Before Ruby could crash into a tree, Weiss conjured a trail of glyphs to catch her. Instead of a harsh impact, Ruby gradually slowed down before backflipping and landing firmly on her feet several hundred yards away.

"She sticks the landing!" Ruby announced for her team to hear.

From the sight of Ruby being okay, Weiss sighed in relief.

This left Weiss vulnerable, so Cinder grabbed the collar of her school uniform and lifted her off the ground like a bully. The priestess grunted as her feet left the ground. Her hands gripped the burning arms of Cinder.

Cinder's teeth bore ominously as her eyes flared red. "You're going to end up just like your mother."

That comment caused Weiss to grit her teeth. It was hard to breathe and all Weiss could do was feebly try to loosen her assaulter's iron grip as she kicked her legs.

"Mom…"

"That's right," Cinder growled lowly. "Your mom's not coming to save you. I made sure of that."

It was futile. Weiss couldn't get away. Cinder had her right where she wanted her as she gasped for breath. The moment Weiss grasped the enemy's wrist in a last-ditch effort, there was a burning sensation. Simultaneously, the bangle flashed white and Cinder let out a scream of pain.

Suddenly, there was a tap on Cinder's shoulder. She didn't look behind her and instead strangled the priestess harder with an evil growl. The bangle only burned her even more. But Cinder fought through the pain. She just wanted the priestess dead. She was done secretly fearing her existence and wouldn't let anything distract her from her goal.

"Your opponent is me."

It was Ozpin's calm voice that trailed hauntingly into her ear. Instantly, Ozpin whacked the half-demon's hands off his precious student. When Weiss dropped to the ground, the guardian rammed his weapon directly into Cinder's back.

As a result, Cinder struck a tree and another… and another… and another in a domino effect. The sound of ripping roots rumbled in the atmosphere.

After Ozpin checked Weiss over, he concluded she was fine. Just winded as she gasped for air.

He shot off like a rocket directly at Cinder. He didn't want to give her a nanosecond to recover.

Before he could get close, there was a loud thump that rang their eardrums and shook the ground intensely. The enormous mass landed directly in front of the headmaster like it was trying to block his line of path that led to the half-demon.

The entire team and guardians wobbled from the sudden earthquake that leaped out of the dense shrubbery. A large black shadow towered to the sky. The grimm let out a menacing roar and pounded its fists in the ground like a rabid animal.

When the dust settled, its identity was revealed.

A furious beringel grimm.

It roared in a fury, searching for prey. Its red eyes targeted the nearest person, only for them to land on Ozpin.

"Oh no," was all Ozpin could say.

The beringel bellowed in anger like something had greatly wronged it. Its menacing eyes never left the headmaster, who could only stand there in shock from how sudden its appearance was.

The beast's fist was the size of a minivan as it jammed into Ozpin's body. Even though he blocked, the sheer force behind the punch was easily enough to send him sprawling back with a yelp.

Before the monster could go after Ozpin, Ruby shot it in the back in rapid succession. That had little effect, but she stole its attention. Large fists dented the ground as it slowly turned around to face the new target.

Ruby firmly stood her ground as she let a breeze graze her cheeks. If anyone could handle this new threat, it was her. She was the only one fast enough.

After a deafening bellow, the beringel lunged. Only for it to be confused when Ruby vanished a second later.

"I'm over here!" she shot one of the nostrils, which earned a roar. Then she darted to the other side of the confused grimm. "Nope, I'm here!"

After this went on for several minutes, the beringel was fed up. With rage, it swung its arms in a circle. That would've hit Ruby if a glyph hadn't pushed her up in the sky.

"Woah!" Ruby yelped as drifted high in the air, trying to compose herself.

"Be careful, Rubes!" Yang shouted.

Somehow, Ruby landed on its bulky arm. When the grimm almost grabbed her, Ruby flipped over and shot one of its eyes in midair.

"Direct hit!"

The ape roared and covered its eyes.

"It's super effective!"

* * *

"That's her favorite grimm," Emerald said with a smug smile. "You better watch yourself!"

When the beringel pounded its massive fists into the ground, Emerald and Blake wobbled a bit.

"So it was her," Blake thought out loud.

It was confirmed. Ruby was right. The beringel that attacked them randomly in the city was because of Cinder. She could control grimm. Who knows what other grimm she sent after them. There'd been so many it was hard to tell if the encounters were a coincidence or planned.

When Ruby yelped in the distance, Blake's cat ears flicked. That distracted her, so Emerald took that as her chance to strike. The kamas slashed her a few times on her chest. This tore Blake's school uniform into shreds and her skin was sliced.

"Agh!"

Blood seeped from the wounds, but they were already healing thanks to her aura. It also helped that they were shallow cuts. Almost like Emerald was hesitant to cut deeply.

Before Blake could recover, there was a beowolf directly to her left. This briefly left her to wonder why Goodwitch hadn't picked it off before it could reach her. No matter. Expertly, Blake bent over backward and wielded her katana directly into its neck.

She expected the head to roll off, but instead, the beowolf vanished on impact.

"What the- agh!"

What she saw wasn't real, but the sudden assault of pain was. Golden orbs squeezed shut from the slashes across her skin. Her back, arms, and legs weren't spared. There was no repairing her uniform.

The cuts weren't deep. This left Blake to question why. It was clear that Emerald wasn't going for any killing blows when she had the chance.

As Blake stumbled, she unintentionally dropped her katana as her arms leaked blood.

 _An illusion. Good going, me,_ Blake thought sarcastically.

Emerald loomed over the injured faunus and raised the lethal kamas for a final blow-

\- until a bright yellow bolt knocked her off balance, causing her to drop a single blade.

"Agh," Emerald grunted more from surprise than pain.

Blake looked over her shoulder to see that her savior was Glynda, who was floating on her broom with a smile.

That gave Blake enough time to compose herself and pick up her katana. "Thank you."

"Try not to be tricked again."

After a nod, Blake grit her teeth before wrangling with Emerald.

* * *

As far as Cinder could tell, they were getting nowhere.

The tides had been even. Each wave was more fierce than the last, but that wasn't enough.

The grimm Cinder had summoned kept getting annihilated. Either by Goodwitch, or that annoying white light.

Yang was more of a problem than she originally thought. Mercury went through the proper training, but it was clear that he was struggling against the brawler. They were both clearly out of breath and refused to fall.

Emerald was more of a disappointment. She made more mistakes in combat than Cinder could count. That sly faunus was even more skilled in trickery than her underling. To put the cherry on top, Blake was perceptive and read her movements like a book some of the time.

It was clear that the relic hunters and guardians formed a set plan should something like this arise.

It was time for the next stage. The tides would be turned after this. Cinder smugly smirked from the thought. Try all they want, it won't turn out well for them.

Before Ozpin could advance a single step, Cinder called out.

"Stop right there!"

Ozpin stood there, wondering what she had planned. She had that look on her face like she'd been thinking. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good.

The half-demon held out her hand. The familiar gastly purple surged like a whirlpool in her palm.

Ozpin's eyes widened, knowing what that meant.

When Cinder made a fist, there was a strangled cry.

"Weiss!" Yang yelped, only to be rammed in the torso by Mercury. "Ugh, dammit! Get outta my way!"

"Make me," Mercury barked.

A low growl.

The priestess held a hand over her chest before collapsing so suddenly it was frightening.

Her friends could only watch. Ruby was preoccupied with the beringel. She'd abandon it, but then it'd pose a threat to everyone there. Blake was trapped with Emerald, who'd definitely go after her if she tried to leave the fight, and Yang had her hands tied with Mercury, who refused to let her go.

Thinking on her feet, Glynda flew on her broom and intercepted the beringel that Ruby had been handling.

"Go to her!"

"Wha- okay!"

Before a few beowolves could swipe at the downed priestess, Ruby shot all of them in rapid succession. When it was clear, Ruby dropped to the ground and held onto her friend.

"Weiss?! Are you okay?!"

The bangle, tiara, and locket seeped an ominous black.

A tortured groan.

"Okay, oookay," Ruby said. "That's a no."

* * *

 **That's a big no!**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	79. The Price of Loyalty

"Weiss?!" Ruby yelped as she coddled her. "Are you okay?!"

A tortured groan emanated from the priestess. Weiss' eyes were squeezed shut and her face was furrowed like she was in physical pain. Her bangle, tiara, and locket seeped an ominous black.

Ruby drew a sharp breath. The last time she saw the sinister blackness, her friend was in the process of dying.

"Oh no," Ruby mumbled as she held onto her. "This is bad. This is really, really bad. Is Ozpin's seal not working anymore?"

Suddenly, the pain in Weiss' chest increased tenfold as the angelic keepsakes that once shined bathed in darkness. In response, Weiss jolted fervently and a gasp escaped, which caused Ruby to keep a tight grip on her.

"Hang in there, Weiss!"

The priestess' chest began to rise and fall rapidly. Ruby could feel the thunderous vibrations throughout her entire body. The quivers shook Ruby to her core as she helplessly stared down at her.

Luckily, Ruby didn't have to worry for long. Ozpin witnessed what happened and rushed to his students' side the moment he was able.

"Oz!" Ruby yelped. "Why isn't the seal working?!"

"Now that she has less aura, the curse has strengthened," Ozpin informed as he knelt next to the two. "I'm going to renew it. Protect us in the meantime."

"You got it."

Determined, Ruby laid her friend down on the frosty grass, trusting her headmaster to take care of her. In Ozpin's place, Glynda was locked in combat with Cinder. In such a short time, the powerful professor managed to defeat the rapid beringel before it could seriously injure anyone.

This time, Cinder wasn't a streak of red, but rather, a grape purple. It looked like her mind was elsewhere in battle. Perhaps maintaining the curse required her constant attention.

Glynda was adamant to break that concentration.

"Stop harming my students!"

"Don't make me laugh," Cinder replied in amusement.

While Goodwitch flew around on Wanda, the half-demon was having a tough time striking her. The cunning professor refused to stay still and managed to land several blows with long-distance attacks.

Instead of watching, Ruby elected to shoot a few bullets at Cinder every now and then to throw her off.

Reassured that she had backup, Glynda whirled away from a fierce fireball.

On the chilly ground, Ozpin hovered his hands over Weiss' frantic heart.

A green light emitted from his palm and the friendly green smog was absorbed in her chest within seconds, which caused her to gasp. The small sound stole Ruby's attention for a moment, which compelled her to stay on high alert for any wandering grimm and also if she had the opportunity to aid her friends in battle.

The darkened white aura swirled with green. The shadow of white almost consumed his aura entirely. However, Ozpin's was stronger and he forced his aura to consume her own dangerous one.

Weiss' body reacted violently and she jolted. This made Ozpin have a hard time with the vital process.

"Ruby, I need you."

That was all Ruby needed to hear to drop next to them. Weiss was jerking almost spastically, making Ruby hold down her shoulders and use a soft voice.

"Weiss, it's okay. You're gonna be fine."

To her surprise, hazy blue cracked open to meet Ruby's worried gaze.

"T-thank you," the priestess said through grit teeth, clearly pained.

Ruby nodded, offering a smile. "Ozpin's the best healer around. I know it's painful, but just focus on your breathing, okay? Even breaths."

The simple words of reassurance were enough for Weiss to persevere, trying to let the green takeover as she fought to keep her heartbeat steady. The curse was getting worse. Weiss could tell that Cinder was going for the kill as her heart beat fervently. All Weiss could do was try to keep breathing.

"Hold her still," Ozpin commanded.

"Okay," Ruby replied, keeping a firm grip on her shoulders.

Successfully, Ozpin dragged the dark aura out of her body. He forcefully snatched it away, and immediately replaced it with the friendly green. Despite his exhaustion, he gave her his life force to jumpstart her own.

Ruby squeezed Weiss' hand as she kept the other hand on her shoulders. Good thing she did, too, because Weiss jolted suddenly again and kept her eyes squeezed shut. At least she was conscious. That was a really good sign. That gave Ruby an ounce of comfort.

Now that the threatening curse was at a standstill, Ozpin began the process of suppressing it. A light green circle that resembled a clock formed above her. The circle was intricate. It was a clock with roman numerals and had two hands.

The long hand ticked a few times as Ozpin took a deep breath.

The tiara, bangle, and locket flickered white for a few brief moments. The white desperately fought off the darkness before it triumphed and returned to the natural white.

Ruby looked worried from her friend's ensuing whimper, but his next words put her at ease.

"She's okay now," Ozpin said to Ruby. "Stay vigilant."

To make sure his words were true, Ruby checked her over. The priestess was breathing in a deep rhythm and her face was scrunched like she was battling to open her eyes. It would be any minute now.

"Okay!"

Alert, Ruby cocked her sniper rifle.

* * *

"Dammit!" Yang cursed. "Why won't you stay down?!"

It felt like she'd been fighting Mercury for an eternity. Her opponent had impeccable stamina. It was infuriating. She just wanted to win the fight so she could go to her girlfriend and make sure she was okay.

From this distance, Yang could only see that Ozpin was leaning over her girlfriend. Weiss was lying on the grass, unmoving. That caused a shot of worry to surge over the brawler.

She didn't have time to mess around with this guy!

"Getting agitated?!" Mercury shouted tauntingly.

The next jab was like a train running down a soda can. This temporarily dazed Yang as she took several solid hits from his iron-like legs. It was a ruthless beat-down, one that left Yang on her back. She landed on the grass harshly with a loud thud, her breath fleeing her lungs.

Mercury leered down at her, seemingly in disgust. "Give me the relic, dammit! It's not that hard!"

Yang was panting heavily like a wild beast as she lifted her head to look up at him. Lilac eyes flashed red as she grit her teeth. Sweat beaded down her forehead and she grunted.

"Like hell!"

There was a determined whizz sound over her.

Before Mercury could bring his leg down on her torso, he was knocked back. Violently.

"Agh!" Mercury howled in agony. " _Fuck_!"

His shoulder was struck so suddenly that he made a complete spin before crashing on the ground with a loud thud.

Confused, Yang pushed herself up to look at the damages as her opponent writhed in pain. His shoulder was bleeding. The red liquid seeped down the entirety of his arm. It looked like it hurt like hell. At least it wasn't a kill shot.

Yang heavily sighed as his whimpers lingered.

"Put some pressure on it."

* * *

Narrowly, Emerald dodged a swing from Blake's katana and ducked.

Since Blake's opponent was still extremely swift, she was caught off guard. Especially when Emerald punched her in the abdomen, which knocked the wind out of her.

On reflex, the faunus bent forward in agony as she gasped. Her hands flew to her stomach as she tried to get a measly breath of air. Her knees lost their strength as she dropped to the ground, still trying to breathe.

Emerald contentedly smirked at her, ready for the final blow.

Until a shot rang out.

From the piercing noise, Emerald whirled around and swung her kamas like a baseball bat. The sharp edges sliced the bullet in half. Both halves zipped by her ears and pierced some dull leaves.

"Not today!"

After watching Mercury get shot, Emerald was determined to avoid that.

While the faunus was on the ground gulping for air and seeping blood, Emerald kicked her side to lay on her back. Blake's arms rested uselessly beside her head.

"Agh…" was all Blake mumbled.

To make sure she stayed down, Emerald sat on top of her and leered over her.

"Give up yet?"

Those red eyes were challenging. For some reason, Blake didn't fear them. In fact, it was quite the opposite.

"Why won't you kill me...?" Blake didn't even try to move, knowing it was futile. "You've been... avoiding my vital spots."

"Shut up!" Emerald barked. "I'll kill you right now!"

To prove her point, Emerald raised both kamas. The blades silhouetted in the moonlight.

"No, you won't."

Emerald's previous statement was empty. At least from what Blake gathered. There was obvious hesitation in her movements and eyes. Everything in the world told her that she wouldn't kill her, even though she was in the perfect position to do so.

Time was frozen as the kamas trembled in her grasp.

"You don't know what I've been through!" Emerald yelled down at her.

Despite the anger flowing through the girl above her, Blake remained calm. She took a deep breath and met her gaze.

"I know," she said softly.

"I owe Cinder _everything_!"

Despite herself, Emerald's voice cracked near the end. She really did owe her everything. It was Cinder and Cinder alone who saved Emerald all those years ago. If it wasn't for her, Emerald would be long dead.

To Blake, Emerald was conveying feigned anger. She wasn't angry at all. In fact, it looked like she was about to break down.

"I know," Blake whispered.

If she could set a gentle hand on her cheek, she would. But she decided to let things play out on their own.

"I owe her my life!"

There was a trail of tears rolling down Emerald's cheeks. The rivulets swirled with the red liquid over Blake's form.

"I know."

Slowly, Emerald lowered her arms by her sides. The blades dropped safely onto the freezing grass.

"I- I can't do it."

"And that's okay," Blake didn't resist her at all. Instead, she remained calm as she talked to the girl above her like an old friend. "You don't have to. You can-"

Before she could finish her sentence, there was a thump. Like a body that fell from a tower.

From the sight of the girl above her, amber orbs broadened the size of dinner plates.

Red eyes widened in shock. Emerald couldn't even let out a strangled cry as she slowly looked down.

A sharp blade with a curve that was stained with blood stuck out of Emerald's chest. Emerald's lips quivered in disbelief as she stared at the figure responsible in the distance.

"Cin… der…" was all she could murmur before tipping to the side.

The half-demon frowned as she watched her in disappointment.

"Nothing but undying loyalty to me."

Since Emerald showed an ounce of regret and reluctance, there was no use keeping her around. The only thing Cinder was upset about was that half of her weapon was wasted. Now she only had one blade.

Hastily, Blake shot up and coddled Emerald in her arms. "No, no, no, no! Emerald?!" her eyes were closed and stayed closed even when the faunus lightly tapped her cheeks. "Hey, stay with me!"

There was no reply, which caused a spike in Blake's adrenaline. Blood pooled around them and stained the frosty grass. The blade was torturously embedded in Emerald's abdomen as she struggled to breathe.

Cat ears flickered wildly from the desperate sounds. Before Blake could panic, she yelled on instinct.

" **Ozpin!"**

The scream was bloody murder and stole the headmaster's attention. He was done renewing the seal on Weiss, so he left Ruby in her care and darted over to the crimson-dyed pair. The faunus looked like she could use medical attention, too, but Emerald's condition was direr.

"I'm here," Ozpin announced breathlessly as he examined the gaping wound. "Move aside."

Instantly, Blake hopped out of the way with bile in her throat. Amber orbs refused to pry away from the downed girl.

Ozpin hovered his hand over the sharp blade. Vicious, bold green lines sprouted like a cobweb and forced the weapon to shatter. The metal vanished into thin air like grimm do when they dissipate. That earned a sharp inhale as Emerald squeezed her eyes shut.

"It's okay," Blake said firmly as she gripped her hand. "You'll be fine. You're in Oz's hands. That's a guaranteed recovery."

It didn't feel odd to comfort her. It felt right. Right now, Emerald was just another person who needed help.

As Ozpin slowly stitched Emerald's skin together, Blake was left _seething_. It was obvious that Emerald trusted Cinder with her life. This was the ultimate betrayal. Cinder took her life and tossed it away like trash. Even before Emerald lost consciousness, her eyes were disbelieving. Like Cinder could never do this...

"She's truly the walking form of evil," Blake said through grit teeth. "All Emerald wanted to do was be by her side..."

That feeling of belonging was something everyone craved. Emerald must've felt that with Cinder. Unfortunately, she was being used. Now that her usefulness wasn't necessary, Cinder saw there was no reason for her to exist.

There was a scream, which stole everyone's attention. Until now, Emerald had been quiet.

* * *

Screams echoed in the background.

On adrenaline, Yang knelt next to her sister and Weiss. "Are you guys okay?"

Ruby nodded. "I'm good. Weiss is getting there," carefully, she set her upright.

"I'm better," Weiss reassured and offered her girlfriend a smile. "She really tried to kill me just now."

Thankfully, the bangle, locket, and tiara were a dull white and no longer a sinister black. Yang fondly cupped her pale cheek and sent her a small grin.

"I'm glad you're okay," Yang breathed. It felt like the world was off her shoulders now that she knew for sure Weiss was alright. Relief washed over her, and another emotion took its place. Lilac eyes warped crimson. "I'm gonna _fucking_ kill her."

"Hey," Weiss said softly and lightly tugged on her orange scarf. "Take a deep breath, okay?"

To calm herself, the blonde did as she was told. When she opened her eyes, they were lilac.

"Okay," Yang said more to herself. "I'm all good."

Ruby set a reassuring hand on her sister's back. "Good."

There was a faint yelp that stole their attention.

It was Mercury. He was running away and looked horrified. Probably because he realized that if Cinder was willing to kill Emerald without hesitation, there'd be no exceptions for him.

He'd be next.

Like Cinder didn't want any survivors, she sent a horde of grimm after him.

Yang watched the scene with her jaw dropped. "That's fucked," she said like she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Swiftly, Weiss ripped away from Ruby.

Like Ruby read her mind, she dashed off and left a trail of rose petals in her wake. The freezerburn pair trusted that Ruby would help him get away.

Various types of grimm chased the wobbling Mercury. There were two deathstalkers, a few beowolves, and about ten creeps. Cinder didn't want him to just die. She wanted him to suffer now that he tried to run. She wanted to tear him apart.

"She's a monster," Yang seethed.

"Truly a demon," Weiss agreed.

There was a grunt that belonged to Glynda. Until now, the professor had been fending off Cinder. Based on their heaving breaths, they were worn out.

Goodwitch seemed to be fairing well. However, Cinder got the upper hand when a fireball struck her directly in the chest. The professor careened off her broom and tumbled to the ground in a heap. She felt the full effects of the battle now that she was down.

The half-demon was about to deal the final blow-

\- until Yang bounced off the ground like a cheetah.

"No you don't!"

She flew at her with unrivaled speeds and rocketed a punch to Cinder's jaw. The swing was so powerful that Cinder flew backward, only to skid and barely stay on her feet. After landing, Cinder received more jabs. Somehow, she blocked and dodged every lethal uppercut. Probably due to Yang's slower movements.

When she was able, Cinder released a blade and used it to go on the offensive.

Unfortunately for her, Yang was in overdrive. All her senses were enhanced. Right now, everyone depended on her. Glynda was trying to stand, or forcing herself to. Ozpin and Blake were busy guarding Emerald, who was motionless. Ruby was trying to help Mercury get away with his life.

And Weiss-

Before a blade could slice Yang's arm, there was a glyph under her feet that veered her harshly to the right. Her strong side. Yang took that as her chance to land another jab like a boxer. The lethal brass knuckles twisted into bone.

A desperate gasp escaped Cinder's lips, but she quickly recovered to swing around the blade. Barely, Yang deflected the sharp edge with her brass knuckles.

Multiple grunts rang out as the two were locked in fierce melee combat. Each were unable to get the best of the other.

The only thing that broke Cinder's defenses was when a glyph boosted Yang into the sky. "W-woah!"

As Yang fell, she cocked her fist back to initiate her signature left hook. Not even the half-demon could prepare herself for that blow. A direct hit in the chest.

From the impact, Yang felt the satisfying crunch of bone against her weapons.

The seemingly invincible woman whizzed away and into a nearby tree. Sickening crunch noises rocked the arena.

Like she could read Weiss' mind, Yang dropped to a sprinter's stance before leaping at the enemy. A glyph propelled her forward. The brawler soared at daunting speeds in Cinder's direct line of path.

To Yang's surprise, Cinder had been waiting for her and narrowly dodged her full momentum. Knowing that she missed, Yang flipped over and landed on her feet. Albeit she was a bit wobbly. She was breathing heavily and her teeth were bared like an aggressive predator.

With resolve, the brawler held up her fists.

"Come get me, _bitch_!"

Under the moonlight, fiery amber orbs studied the brawler.

Other than her eyes, Cinder was a silhouette in the darkness. Her entire figure was black. Like a shadow.

A growl.

A low, menacing growl. A growl that vibrated the air itself.

It was like Cinder wasn't even remotely human. Only a monster.

It was a growl so frightening that it almost caused Yang to step back. She'd never heard anything like it.

" _I'm gonna fucking kill Cinder."_

The words pounded mercilessly in her mind. Rang in her head like a gong.

Yang shook off the daunting noise like it never happened and bounced on her feet to prepare herself.

It was then that Cinder snapped her fingers.

If Yang wasn't afraid of her, she will be now.

* * *

 **Cinder you bitch wtf are you doing killing your minions like that smh. She is truly EEEEVIL!**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	80. Don't Make This a Habit

"What is that thing?!"

All Weiss could do was stand there and stare, awestruck. A creeping sense of danger overflowed her body as the black mass loomed in the dark sky. It looked like a grimm, but there was something different about it.

The relic hunters had encountered a sea dragon before, but not one like _this_. The monster was flying around like it owned the forest and tore an ear-shattering shriek.

Unintentionally, Weiss stepped back with her jaw agape.

This wasn't part of the plan! Was this a full-sized dragon!?

"How are we supposed to…"

Her words trailed off when her eyes couldn't pry away from the specimen. The dragon was at least the size of two semi-trucks. Thanks to the moonlight and burning temple, she could watch the monster in all its glory as it hovered above the ground.

The wings were red and bat-like, creating sonic booms that caused anyone around to stumble. The entire planet trembled from the flaps as the dragon let out a deafening shriek.

From the commanding presence, the rest of the grimm cowered in fear. The observation alone caused Weiss to gulp. All she could do was watch the monster, not sure of what to do. When the beast glided over to a nearby cliff, it ripped another daunting screech.

At least it wasn't targeting anyone. For now.

Now that the beast was still, Weiss took a moment to examine it for weak spots. Like grimm, it had rough black skin with white bone-like spines along its body. The white substance included an external skull, rib cage, and rows of dorsal spikes that were iron-like and seemingly indestructible. On top of the head were sharp horns like a bull.

Unlike grimm, the dragon adorned yellow eyes. The darkest yellow eyes. Somehow, yellow appeared more daunting than the most bloody of red.

"Wha- what do we do…?"

From her trance, Weiss didn't even realize that Yang had joined her side.

" _That's_ a demon," Yang stated like she was impressed.

"That's a demon?" Weiss asked. Before she knew about the New World, she called regular grimm demons. Now that a real demon was present, she didn't know what to think. "A full demon?"

"Yeah," Yang confirmed, uneasiness in her tone. "Don't view it as a grimm. That thing is leagues smarter, stronger, and annoyinger."

"This isn't good," Weiss lightly huffed from the last comment. "It has the last piece of the relic."

"Yeah."

The red markings met in the middle of the external skill. In the center, there was a small glow of blackness. The shard was tainted and aided the beast's every move.

Without warning, the dragon hopped off the cliff and soared directly at them like a prowling predator.

"Hold on," the priestess said, urgent.

To get away, Weiss summoned two paths of glyphs for her and her girlfriend to glide across. They shot off like yellow and white rockets, leaving violent winds behind.

"Looks like its got its eyes on the prize," Yang said, despite her confident demeanor, there was a hint of fear in her voice.

The monster was faster than they originally thought. The big, red wings helped it catch up to the duo like the glyphs were nothing. They looked up and gasped when they noticed that the demon was rapidly advancing. The glyphs were no competition.

"It's too fast!" Yang yelped. "Woah!"

Next to the couple, flames erupted as fire shot out of the beast like it was spewing water.

The dragon can breathe fire?!

Like acrobats, the freezerburn pair flipped out of the way of the blaze while staying on the trail of glyphs.

"You good?!" Yang shouted.

"Yes, you?!"

"Peachy!"

Luckily, they escaped the inferno with just sweat on their skin. However, now there was another threat. The dragon dropped suddenly for a lethal swoop with its razor feet.

"Duck!" Weiss yelped.

"Goose!" Yang replied.

Together, the couple rammed into the frosty ground. Unfortunately, the beast was quicker. Fierce claws pierced their backs. After grunting in pain, they tumbled violently as the glyphs flickered away.

A resounding roar of triumph.

The freezerburn pair shook their heads in a daze.

"Agh, shit," Yang cursed under her breath as she rubbed her back. "He got us good."

"Let me see," Weiss said, grimacing from the harsh impact as they laid on the grass.

Quickly, Yang rolled on her side.

The back of her uniform was ripped and leaked blood, but not much. Carefully, Weiss grazed the wound and sighed in relief. "The cuts aren't deep."

"Lemme see yours," Yang said.

Sure enough, that was the same diagnosis for Weiss' injuries. Their backs stung a little, but it wasn't anything they couldn't handle. The cuts received were shallow and not enough to do serious damage.

If it wasn't for their fast reflexes, it could've- should've- been way worse.

Instead of finishing them off, the dragon continued to glide over them to where its master was located. Where red and dark yellow clashed, and inferno was gushed to aid Cinder against the clever Goodwitch.

No yelps ensued, so Glynda was probably fine and holding her own.

While the monster was preoccupied, the freezerburn couple stood with the help of each other. Yang unintentionally let out a muffled grunt.

"Yang?" Weiss said worriedly. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah…" Yang's face was furrowed, her eyes squeezed shut. "I'm good."

When she cracked open an eye, there was red radiating in it. It was swirling, but Yang was obviously trying to suppress her emotions.

"Your eyes are red," Weiss observed, perturbed. "Tell me?"

Yang sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. "My semblance is ready to go. I don't think I can keep it in check any longer."

For Yang, her semblance was like tea. It was boiling, ready to spill over. After the brawler was roughed up by Mercury, Cinder, and the beast's claws just now, she felt raw power overflowing her form. It was only a matter of time before it burst like a volcano.

Another deafening roar. Trees trembled from the shockwaves and caused the Earth to shake.

The couple looked up at the sky, only to see the beast coming back for them for another round. Perhaps Cinder had temporarily gained the upper hand and the dragon saw its chance to finish off the couple.

"I hope Glyn's okay," Yang said, her eyes crimson as she stared at the daunting beast.

The demon breathed more fire, which caused innocent shrubbery to ignite. It wasn't just the temple burning anymore. Virtually nothing was spared.

"Should I purify it?" Weiss asked, hesitant.

"No," Yang instantly replied, knowing that her girlfriend already knew the answer to that risky question. "The curse was just re-sealed. It can't strengthen again or what Oz did will be for nothing."

There was no way she'd let her girlfriend die. That was a risk no one was willing to take. If she purified a monster of that size while still affected by the curse, it would overpower her this time.

"Then what do you propose we do?" Weiss asked, hoping she had at least an idea.

Yang whispered a plan in her ear.

The priestess looked taken aback by that. "You're insane."

"Do it quick," Yang urged. "I'm gonna need my semblance for this."

"Please don't make this a habit," Weiss said softly.

"It's a little too late for that."

With that, Yang slammed her yellow brass knuckles together. This caused yellow sparks to fly and there was a suffocating rush of heat. Simultaneously, her blonde mane caught on fire, which caused a shockwave so powerful that it made Weiss stumble back.

From the sudden inferno, the monster wasn't deterred. In fact, it was compelled to sail faster to reach its targets.

Not caring about the looming threat, Weiss took in her girlfriend's mesmerizing blazing form. Yang's whole body was on fire and roared under the moonlight. For being an inferno, Yang wasn't hot. She was warm. Pleasantly so.

Weiss was worried for her because of the upcoming plan, but that signature grin told her there was nothing to fear. That smile was the brightest. Not the flames.

The priestess found herself entranced as she cupped her cheek.

"Hey," Weiss said, determination sparked in those blue eyes. "I love you."

Yang grinned and leaned in, ensnaring their lips. The calm flow of embers wrapped them in a blanket as they kissed. Normally, Yang's semblance form was violent and rough. But right now, she was gentle.

The couple separated too soon.

"We got this," Yang said softly, yet sternly. "Have faith."

"I do."

"Good. Now let's do this!"

As the monster dove in with a screech, Yang hopped into a black glyph. Weiss aimed her rapier at the dragon that was rapidly approaching. The beast was soaring faster than ever, determined to kill.

"Shoot!" Yang yelped, thinking the beast was close enough.

"Not yet!" Weiss retorted, narrowing her eyes for the perfect opportunity.

Yang readed her fists, not sure why her girlfriend was hesitating. "Do it!"

"Wait!" Weiss yelled.

"What're you waiting for?!" Yang's voice cracked in confusion.

If they were going to do this, they had to do it _now-_

The moment the dragon opened its mouth to blast a scorching flamethrower, Weiss released.

"Now!"

Like a blazing supernova, Yang flew off. Before the beast could burn them alive, Yang sailed into the mouth. The comforting inferno was eaten like a snack and she forcefully shot down the throat.

There was an audible gulp from the beast as it reacted violently. Harshly, it crashed on its side, leaving a split-open path in its wake.

The demon _would_ have splatted right on top of Weiss.

If Blake hadn't gotten there in time.

Fortunately, Blake swooped in and knocked Weiss out of the way. When the dragon heaved from the new parasite that was ravaging its insides, it coughed puffs of smoke.

"Blake, what're-"

"Hang on."

While the beast was busy succumbing to pain, Blake took that as her chance to hurriedly rush Weiss over to where Ozpin and Emerald were located. The moment they were a safe distance away, Blake set her down and let her have it.

"Weiss!" Blake chided, almost in a scream. "What the hell?!"

"She's done it before!" Weiss tried to justify. "Yang's semblance is at full power. She was ready to do some damage," she explained calmly. "I wouldn't agree to the plan if I didn't think she'd be able to survive, Blake."

"I can't believe this," the faunus sounded like she was done with everything. "She's such an idiot!"

"At least she has experience with being inside grimm," Weiss said, unbelieving of what she had said. "Did I really just say that?"

"A nevermore and a sea dragon's bodies are different from a demon's," Blake said with bite in her tone.

Confidently, Weiss stared up at the demon. "We have to believe in her."

Blake heavily sighed. "Not like we have a choice."

On the ground, the beast was gaining its bearings as it whipped its skull head. When there was a resounding flame in the distance, it hopped up. Probably one of Cinder's calls that couldn't be ignored.

When the demon was a safe distance away, the faunus allowed herself to tear her gaze away. Worried, she looked down at the unconscious Emerald.

"Is she okay?"

"She will be," Ozpin answered breathlessly.

To confirm, Emerald's chest was rising and falling rhythmically. Her chest once gushed blood from the blade, but now the blood was drying. Her skin was stitched back together. Her shirt was only torn. The headmaster looked exhausted from exerting so much aura not only from healing multiple people, but from fighting.

Before anyone could think, a fireball was thrown their way. The only reason why Blake detected it quick enough was because a cat ear subconsciously flinched.

To protect Emerald, Blake threw herself in front of her, shielding her.

"Agh!"

Before Blake could collapse, Weiss was there to keep her upright. "Hey, are you okay?!"

Reluctantly, Blake looked up at her with a grimace. "I'm... fine. We have to... get Emerald out of here."

Obviously, this spot wasn't safe.

"Blake," Weiss called, stern.

Blake forced herself to stand upright. Smoke rose from her back as she took a few deep breaths. At least the searing heat provided a seal for some of her cuts she'd received earlier.

"Really, I'm okay," the faunus reassured as she stepped out of her friend's grip. "Emerald..."

Ozpin nodded at her. "Right."

Rushedly, Ozpin carried Emerald and moved away. Weiss helped Blake wobble over, keeping a hand around her waist.

When Emerald was shielded behind a tree, Ozpin examined the group. Weiss seemed to be fine, just tired. Blake was beading with sweat and was scoured in cuts. Not to mention she suffered the burn just now.

Ozpin offered. "I can heal you-"

"No," Blake refused. "You need to save your aura. It's not bad, really. Just stings."

Before anyone could speak, the tree that'd been guarding them rattled. It looked like Cinder was making her move. Above her, the demon loomed. This meant Glynda couldn't hold her off any longer. Not with a tag-team like that. It was admirable for how long she lasted.

Forcibly, Goodwitch was jolted by a shockwave created by the demon. As a result, Glynda dropped to the ground while Wanda skidded to a halt.

Before Cinder could land another blow, Weiss was there to block a fireball with her rapier. The heat seared metal as smoke lingered. Despite the force, Weiss didn't budge an inch.

In response, Cinder leered at the priestess.

"Get up, Glyn," Weiss encouraged, not harshly. "We don't have time to lay around."

Glynda struggled to sit up as her forehead beaded with sweat. "Says you."

That earned a faint smirk.

A gunshot.

Thank god. Ruby was back.

Before the bullet could touch Cinder, her pet dragon plopped on the ground to block the path. Due to its thick skin, it was like nothing hit it.

"I'm back! Mercury's A-okay!" Ruby reported as she helped Goodwitch stand. She glanced over her shoulder to notice that Ozpin and Blake were crowded around Emerald, who was still unconscious. "Hey, where's Yang?"

"She's- um," Weiss stammered, trying to find the words. "In front of us?"

It took Ruby a few moments before it clicked.

"She's _where_?!"

"She should be fine," Weiss said calmly. "She was confident."

"Have you not met Yang?!" Ruby yelped in exasperation. "She's always confident!"

"Eheh," was all Weiss could reply.

"Blake!" Ruby whined. "Were you not supervising?!"

"Don't make it sound like we're children who need adult supervision!" Weiss complained.

From the ruckus, Blake joined her friends and stood next to them while the headmaster protected Emerald.

Blake smirked from how flustered her girlfriend and friend were acting. "Our little sun dragon is taking on a demon dragon."

Like a worried sibling, Ruby asked. "How long has she been in there, anyways?" she asked, now a little calmer.

"A few minutes," the priestess answered.

"She could be dissolved by now!" Ruby fretted. "If she gets out of there I swear-"

A fireball zipped in the middle of the red, white, and black trio. The heat grazed their forms as the ball of light seeped into a tree trunk behind them.

"Relax," Ruby said, meeting Cinder's furious gaze. "We didn't forget about you."

The casualness in her tone sent Cinder on edge. She was about to lunge at the three, but stopped in her tracks when her demon pet began coughing smoke again. The ferocious beast was reduced to a worm writhing under the heat of the sun.

"Kevin?" Cinder asked, puzzled. "What ails you?"

"Kevin?" Blake repeated the name, suppressing a laugh.

What a normal name for such a wild beast. Cinder had odd tastes.

To answer his master, Kevin would have roared but his insides were being ravaged.

"Yeah!" Ruby cheered, pumping her fist in the air. "Give him hell, Yang!"

Like Yang had heard her sister, the stomach rumbled intensely. It was like a pool of piranhas were inside, trying to tear the way out.

To avoid endangering his master, the dragon darted away while audibly choking. Dense armor ripped several trees out of the roots before the beast tried to fly away and hopped once, giving the ground a shake.

" **Kevin**!" Cinder roared. "You will do as I say and stay here!"

Despite its master's orders, the beast ignored her. Puffs of smoke spewed from the snout and gagging noises lingered. The claws barely hovered over the ground, but the wings were spasming. It was clearly a struggle to fly.

Since the demon looked like it was about to burst, Weiss summoned glyphs to get her friends out of the vicinity and near Ozpin and Emerald, who were protected several yards away.

"Wha-what's happening?!" Ruby asked.

Blake smiled as she took in the sight of the dragon struggling. "Yang's coming."

Cinder kept yelling at the massive, intimidating beast like she was lecturing a child that wasn't listening. "Get down from there right now! Finish them off!"

At last, the clogged throat erupted like a volcano that hadn't blown in centuries. A trail of blaze ensued, and there was a harsh tint of yellow on the front of the streak that was screaming. The screams didn't sound pained, more like determined.

"Yang," Weiss said, relieved.

Behind Yang, there were vicious flames that scorched any shrubbery in her path. It was like she was the leader of the inferno as her eyes pierced red.

Swiftly, Weiss encompassed her girlfriend in a glyph as planned. With her rapier, she controlled the blaze and veered her girlfriend in the direction right where she wanted her.

Yang had been waiting for that, and got into a diver's position. Brass knuckles were pointed outward as she grit her teeth as the searing flames consuming her.

"I got her!" Ruby yelped.

To help, Ruby darted over to Cinder. The glyph beneath the half-demon's feet was fading, so Ruby wanted to make sure that Cinder would stay perfectly still and trapped in place.

"Let go of me!" Cinder hissed.

Luckily, Cinder was exhausted and Ruby had just enough strength to keep her there.

"Never!"

To brace herself, Ruby engulfed herself with what aura she had left. Friendly red enshrouded her form as a shield from what was to come. Panting heavily, Ruby locked Cinder's hands behind her back so she couldn't protect herself.

"Agh!" Cinder strained to wiggle out of her grasp. "You wretched little red-"

Darkness.

* * *

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	81. What Path Should I Take?

Ugh…

Everything hurt.

Wait, why was she in pain?

Needing to find out, Yang struggled to sit up. Every muscle in her body screamed in protest. It was a hard feat to accomplish as she grimaced. Instead of lying on the flat ground, Yang felt like she was suspended. Her legs were bent down at an angle like she was floating.

It wasn't cold. Whatever was underneath her felt lukewarm. When Yang successfully sat up in a daze, she glanced under her. A pair of legs longer than her own were sprawled out. Startled, Yang rolled off whoever was under her.

Apparently, her full body weight had been on top of Cinder.

Thankfully, the half-demon's eyes were closed. She didn't move the slightest inch as Yang examined her. Her hair and clothes were in disarray. Smudges, cuts, and bruises scoured her entire form. Dry blood mixed with dirt in splotches.

To Yang, it was a relieving sight, to say the least. To see the half-demon finally out of commission. At last, Cinder had been knocked down a good few pegs. And it took a fully grown demon to help take her down. Somehow, the blonde successfully managed to use the dragon against her.

It had been a direct hit. Judging by how they were positioned when Yang woke up and how Cinder showed no signs of stirring.

Glancing around, Yang realized that the aftermath was excruciating to the forest. Dozens of trees had been ripped out of the roots because of the human-fireball technique. Everything had been scorched in her path. The ground itself had been split open. Nothing was spared.

The temple burned in the distance as the smoke joined the overcast sky. The first signs of dawn had appeared. Orange and friendly colors enshrouded the atmosphere. The only thing that blocked the light was the deadly smoke.

To Yang's surprise, Ruby was just to the left. She was lying on the frosty ground, beginning to come to.

"Ugh…"

"Ruby!"

Now that Yang saw Ruby, Cinder was the least of her concerns. Not caring about the half-demon, Yang made her way over to her beloved sister, but not faster than she'd like.

The earlier fireball technique did a number on her body. Whether she wanted to admit it or not. Her limbs throbbed, her torso ached, and she had dozens of black bruises all over, so she reluctantly took it slow as she hobbled over.

When Yang stood over her sister, she dropped next to her on the crispy grass. Carefully, she coddled her in her protective arms. "Ruby? Ruby? Can you hear me?"

"Ugh…" Ruby's lips slightly parted to groan. Her face flinched a few times.

"That's it- come on," Yang coaxed with a soft voice. "Ruby? Ruby?"

Finally, hazy silver pools were revealed. "Yang… what…?"

To Ruby's relief, Yang's face was the first thing she saw. That eased her nerves. It especially helped when Yang cupped her cheek and wiped away some dirt.

"Easy," the blonde whispered. "You took a hard hit. You know that, right?"

"Uh-huh…" Ruby mumbled as her lips twitched upward, suggesting that she had no regrets.

"Hold on," Yang said.

Carefully, Yang tilted her sister to sit upright. During the process, Ruby's eyes were squeezed shut as she let out a few deep exhales. Luckily, Ruby braced her aura for the previous impact. If she hadn't, her body would no doubt be so much sorer.

Yang made sure to keep an arm around her back while the other was around her shoulders. Ruby relaxed in the embrace as she enjoyed the fresh air. For once, it was calm on the battlefield.

"You're such an idiot," the blonde said gingerly.

Seeing her baby sister like this sent a pang of worry shooting through her. Having Ruby restrict Cinder's movements wasn't part of the plan. Although, it helped immensely, Yang had to admit. It was thanks to Ruby's quick-thinking that they succeeded in hitting Cinder.

That caught Ruby's attention as she looked up at her sister. "Excuse you?"

Yang noticed her muscles stiffen. "You didn't _have_ to hold Cinder in place like that-"

"She was going to escape," Ruby interjected, sternness in her tone. "Weiss' glyph that kept her in place was fading. We couldn't take the chance."

"You got hurt!" Yang blurted.

"And you didn't?!" Ruby retorted as she wrestled out of Yang's grip. Willingly, the blonde let her go as lilac matched silver. "Getting hurt is part of our duty," Ruby noticed that her sister looked downcast, and she fondly cupped Yang's cheek in response. "I don't like it, either."

A small chuckle escaped Yang's lips as she experimentally wiggled an arm with a grimace. "It does suck."

That elicited a short laugh from Ruby. "Yang, you were on literal fire!" she beamed in excitement. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, turns out I'm fireproof," Yang said like it was the most casual thing in the world.

Ruby quirked an amused eyebrow. "Why am I not surprised."

Jokingly, Yang fanned herself. "I'm so hot not even fire fazes me."

"Your modesty is back," Ruby quipped with a smirk.

After the sisters shared laughter, they stared over at the half-demon. Luckily, Cinder hadn't moved so much as a millimeter.

"You got her, huh?" Ruby asked, wanting to make sure.

"Direct hit," Yang confirmed, solemness in her voice. "Thanks to you."

Ruby nodded, glad that her sister wasn't seriously injured from the risky move. The two held onto each other in a brief hug before they started to stand. With each other's help, the sisters were back on their feet. Albeit a little wobbly.

"Easy," Yang kept a hand around her waist as she staggered. "That hit took a lot out of you."

Ruby playfully rolled her eyes as she wrapped a hand around the taller girl's waist. "It did for you, too."

Yang let out a short huff of acknowledgement as they walked over to Cinder. They took it slow as they focused on breathing, which came much easier. Any searing pain gradually faded, leaving aches and light throbs.

It didn't look like Cinder would be getting up anytime soon. Her eyes were still closed and her clothes were tattered as she lay there in defeat.

"Is she dead?" Ruby asked, hesitant.

Cautiously, Yang knelt to check her neck for a pulse. There was a heartbeat, albeit a faint one. Yang didn't know how to feel about that.

"She's alive," Yang reported, not sounding happy about it.

" _I'm gonna fucking kill Cinder."_

Those words pounded in her head relentlessly like a gong. When Yang said them at the time, her beloved girlfriend was in critical condition because of the half-demon's curse. Weiss had been on a tightrope of life and death for several agonizing hours. Watching every second of that caused Yang's loathing to increase toward Cinder.

Anyone who dared hurt her princess had to pay.

Yang's nostrils flared, her teeth were grit, and her fists were clenched. Her entire body shook as she debated what to do. What path she should take. If she was going to finish Cinder off, it'd have to be now. When she was defenseless and already half-dead. Yang would make it quick and painless. Unlike what Cinder did to Weiss, Yang wouldn't draw out her suffering.

While Yang was facing this inner turmoil, Ruby watched her sister. On the outside, Yang looked mad. But Ruby knew. On the inside, Hell was brewing and boiling over.

"Yang," Ruby called softly. Like she was almost afraid to.

"She's done so much _shit_ to us," the blonde tried to reason, looking to Ruby for approval.

Ruby just looked away from her sister's primal, frustrated gaze. Silver eyes fixed on the half-demon. Truly a pitiful sight.

"I know," was all Ruby said.

"She made Weiss suffer more than any of us!" Yang exclaimed, seething through her grit teeth. Although she was angry, her voice wavered halfway through. "She killed her mom!"

Ruby set a firm hand on her back, not worried about a possible bite. "I know."

The contact didn't bother Yang. In fact, it soothed her. "I want to kill her."

"I know."

Ruby didn't doubt her for a second. Yang _wanted_ to get revenge. Maybe not kill to achieve it, but her entire form burned from the yearning goal.

Yang said softly, not firmly. "I'm gonna do it."

"Can you?" Ruby caught the waver in her voice. Sure, Yang was protective, but she wasn't a cold-blooded murderer.

"Of course I can!" Yang blurted like she was a child trying to prove an adult wrong.

Yang had waited impatiently for this moment for a long time. Yet, her body stiffened and refused to budge so much as an inch. No matter how much Cinder frustrated her, she couldn't bring herself to finish her off. Yang hated that and mumbled a curse as her eyes remained fixed on the half-demon.

Ruby squeezed Yang's shoulder to show her there was nothing wrong with not being able to commit such a violent act. "You're too good of a person to be a cold-blooded killer, Yang."

In response to those truthful words, Yang dipped her head in defeat. Frustrated tears almost spilled over and dropped on Cinder.

The whole time, Yang kept telling herself that she wouldn't hesitate when the time came. Yet here she was, motionless. When the blonde stared at Cinder, she no longer felt the hatred. Instead, she felt pity.

"I know," the blonde said.

Unexpectedly, there was a familiar shout.

"Yang, Ruby!"

It was Blake, who was rushing over to them. Not far behind her was Weiss. The pair looked visibly worn out. The battle so far had taken a toll on them, and the run to reach the sisters didn't help.

"Blake, Weiss!" Ruby called.

With care, Blake and Weiss checked over the sisters. They each adorned scratches, bruises, and dirt all over, but they seemed fine. Which was remarkable, considering Yang was a meteor that crashed directly into Ruby and Cinder.

"Are you okay?" Blake asked.

"Yeah," Yang blankly answered.

Ruby sent them a thumbs up. "We're good. Are you?"

"Roughed up, but fine," Blake said for them.

Weiss examined her girlfriend, who was already checking her over.

When Weiss was done, she sighed. "You took a hard hit."

"It's nothin' I'm not used to," the blonde reassured.

Together, the relic hunters stared at the downed half-demon. At last, Cinder began to come to. When she opened her eyes, this prompted the team to step back and give her some space.

A low growl rumbled from Cinder's throat when she noticed the four staring down at her.

"Are you satisfied?"

Cinder tried and failed to move like her limbs like they were super glued to the ground. She couldn't even lift her head to properly glare at the relic hunters. All she could do was stare at the sky that was beginning to show some signs of light.

Ruby just stared down at her with pity written all over her face. "That's not the word we'd use."

"Don't look at me like that," Cinder breathed.

Hesitantly, Weiss stepped forward and held out her hand directly above the half-demon. The pale hand blocked Cinder's view of the calm sky.

"Are _you_ satisfied?" Cinder repeated, directing the question at Weiss.

An interesting question. One that Weiss didn't know how to answer. She didn't feel satisfied from this at all. Seeing the once all-powerful half-demon Cinder like this caused her stomach to churn. Yes, the half-demon killed her mother. But seeing her like this- motionless and unable to move- on the frosty ground didn't make her feel better in the least bit.

The only thing she could do was send Cinder off to a better place. Peacefully.

"I forgive you."

Like those were the words Cinder wanted to hear, her lips twitched upward.

It didn't take long for the white to glow from her pale hand to enshroud Cinder's form. Instead of screeching like they expected, Cinder sighed in relief as the pale glow of an angel enveloped her like a warm blanket.

Slowly, Cinder shut her eyes as she enjoyed the chilly warmth spreading through her body. Her figure began to break off into little specks of white that joined the atmosphere. It looked like she was at peace as her form slowly withered away like the grimm.

The shroud of white light didn't vanish. Not until every sign of her body disappeared. When nothing was left except the dent of her body from impact, Weiss lowered her hand. Soon after, Weiss bent over with her hands on her knees as she harshly panted.

"Good job," Yang praised, keeping a hand on her back. "That couldn't have been a more peaceful way for her to go."

Blake offered a smile. "It was mesmerizing to watch."

"I'll say," Ruby agreed as she looked to the sky.

Over the horizon, the sun was steadily rising. It began to peek over, ready to spill light onto the planet. No clouds were in sight. Except there was still the familiar smoke looming and painting the sky dark.

While Weiss caught her breath, she felt like the world was off her shoulders. A dark purple shrouded over her chest and formed a sphere. The grape orb began to crack as friendly green filled the crevices.

This caused her friends to look at it in wonder, knowing that was the embodiment of the curse and the seal that'd been protecting the green was powerful, it encased the grape before it shattered into a million pieces. The colors swirled together before drifting to the calm sky.

"I'm free," Weiss said softly, the realization hitting her at full force.

Until now, it felt like she was trapped in her own body.

"Yeah, you are!" Yang cheered with glee. "A stupid curse has nothin' on you!"

"We did it!" Ruby chirped.

From the news, Blake sighed in relief. "Thank god. I was having doubts that it wouldn't work."

"It did," Weiss confirmed as she held a hand over her heart.

There was no longer weight on it. It beat freely now.

Ruby grinned widely, glad to know that her friend will be okay. After all that's happened, she just wanted to settle down.

"Who wants to celebrate? Oh, let's get ice cream!"

Yang sent her sister a look of disbelief. "You don't want to, oh, I don't know, take a nap first?"

"Now?!" Ruby blurted, bouncing up and down in excitement. "Nope!"

Before the banter could continue, a deafening roar cut them off.

The trees around them trembled from the shockwaves and the Earth to shook. The very ground vibrated and almost caused them to fall over.

"Oh yeah," Yang said casually as she looked to the sky. "We're not done yet."

Above, the dragon encircled the scorched temple. From the looks of it, Ozpin and Glynda were busy fending it off. Dark yellow and green clashed with the black mass.

Determined, Blake unsheathed her katana and rested it by her side. "Looks like Kevin requires our attention."

Firmly, Ruby cocked her sniper rifle.

"Let's go, team."

* * *

 **How could they forget Kevin?! The chapter title is after the song I'm a Believer by Amalee: "Does anybody know 'what path I should take?' I won't hesitate!"**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	82. White Light

**Oho! Title drop!**

* * *

Roars rocked the planet as the massive blob of darkness propelled into the sky.

The relic hunters were beaded with sweat. Their lungs burned for oxygen.

The demon was more of a problem than they'd thought.

They didn't have time for this!

As the team stood on the frosty grass, the demon was wreaking havoc by knocking over innocent trees. All the while, never straying too far from Cinder's side.

It was obvious that Goodwitch and Ozpin were on their last legs. Wanda was beginning to twitch uncontrollably as the broom carried the professors. Poor Wanda was at its limit as well. From the looks of it, Glynda was having a hard time steering and dodging swings from the beast.

From the sidelines, team RWBY watched as they gathered themselves.

"Come on, team," Ruby encouraged, striving to stay cheerful. "We can do this."

Yang nodded firmly. "I messed up its insides."

From the reminder, Blake's cat ears twitched. "You're right. It hasn't breathed fire since you shot out."

"I probably tasted like curry to him," Yang said, proud that she rid one of the most dangerous traits of the beast. "How he's flying is beyond me."

Before the relic hunters could aid the guardians, Ozpin hopped off the broom in one giant leap. With great force, he slammed his cane into the dragon's back. A resounding thud and screech rang out as he used the full force of his momentum to drag the monster to the ground. Green sparks flew from the clash and it looked like a viridescent meteor was barreling toward Earth.

When the opponents finally crashed into the ground, the planet trembled. No one kept their balance in the aftermath. The trees shook, and the fiery temple collapsed instantly on impact.

The headmaster expertly pinned the beast down. Except the wings were free, so when Ozpin attempted to hop away, his torso was slammed by a translucent red wing. Since it was such a quick maneuver, he had no time to react and took the full brunt of the blow.

Unceremoniously, he tumbled to the side.

"Oz!" Yang shouted.

The demon recovered quickly. Too quickly. Unfortunately, it looked like Ozpin's mid-air tackle didn't do much damage. The team wanted to make sure that the beast won't get up again and took offensive stances.

"Go!" Ruby yelped hastily.

Luckily, the demon was struggling to stand. The legs were twitching. They were the first appendages to careen into the ground, so they must've taken the most damage. The red wings were flawlessly flapping, so they were going to prevent it from taking off.

Without hesitation, team RWBY fearlessly darted to the beast. Although, the ensuing bellow was intimidating, that didn't stop their rapid movements. To make them move faster, three separate trails of glyphs propelled them forward. The lines of dazzling glyphs shimmered under the faint sky.

While sprinting, Yang slammed her fists together. The action was filled with vigor, although her hair didn't ignite as usual. Like the others, her body was worn out from the previous fights. Despite that, she charged in like she was at full power. It was like her entire form was a blazing inferno even though it was covered in dirt and slashes.

With a grin, Yang eagerly strode along the dazzling white path and soared at the screeching grimm. Like a pesky mosquito, the brawler connected her fist with the beast's broad, sturdy snout. It felt like punching a brick wall. Yang would've recoiled, but she'd jabbed surfaces much harder.

The monster was about to roar, but she clamped it shut. From the impact alone, a few of the dragon's razor-sharp teeth shattered.

Yang's triumphant grin was cut short. Her body was more drained than she'd originally thought. When she noticed a wing to the side of her vision, she knew she'd be too slow to dodge and braced herself.

"Agh!"

It was like a train ramming into a soda can. A cough ripped from her lungs as some blood leaked over. A few cracks rang out as the lethal wing ravaged her.

As she flew backward, Yang noticed the stars for the first time that night. They looked pretty and glimmered in the now lighter sky. She enjoyed the nice constellations before her vision went dark. The black consumed her world. She wasn't awake to feel the harsh impact of the ground. She'd been shaken to the core and was rattled into unconsciousness.

All the team could do was watch as Yang crashed and finally tumbled to a stop, lying motionless.

"Weiss!" Ruby called desperately. "Go to her! Me and Blake will distract him!"

Instead of replying, Weiss darted to her girlfriend. She didn't need to be told that. Her body moved on instinct. She would have used her glyphs to reach her faster, but she was out of breath just from moving.

It felt like forever by the time the priestess finally reached her. Yang's eyes were closed and she was on her back like she was stargazing. Her body had carved a long trail in the ground until she skidded to a halt.

"Yang!" Weiss called, lightly shaking her shoulder. "Yang!? Can you hear me?"

The brawler's face didn't even flinch. Yang's mouth was slightly parted as her limbs were sprawled out. Weiss had never seen her look so defenseless and vulnerable.

Quickly, Weiss knelt next to her and coddled her in her arms. She was careful not to move her too much to prevent strain. When a pale hand slid under Yang's back, she felt a heartbeat. It was faint, but strong enough for her to tell that it was there.

"Please… my dragon…" Weiss whimpered. "Please be okay…"

Normally, Yang wouldn't take this long to wake up. Which led Weiss to believe that she'd been hit in the head.

 _A concussion,_ the priestess deduced. _The last one didn't turn out so well._

Worry shot through her being. Weiss had never seen Yang be knocked down so many notches. Especially in the midst of combat. The once blazing inferno was covered in ashes, an overall dull gray.

While Weiss held back her tears, she brushed her hands through the messy blonde mane. She was meticulous with the motions as roars bellowed in the background.

Unable to help herself, Weiss pecked the top of her head. Like that would make Yang feel better.

The sounds of battle echoed. Blobs of red, black, green, and dark yellow collided with the darkness. It was lighter outside, so it was easier to see what happening.

The temple stopped burning and smoke no longer loomed in the atmosphere. An eerie gray was left in ashes from the debris.

"Ugh…"

The small groan caused Weiss to stop the soothing circle motions.

"Yang?" Weiss called out softly, trying to coax her awake. When her girlfriend's face flinched a couple of times, she leaned down by her ear. "You can do it. I am here."

Yang awoke with a grimace before those hazy lilac pools were revealed. The first thing Yang tried to do was move, but Weiss prevented her from doing so by keeping a firm grip around her waist.

"Slow movements," Weiss advised softly. "Where does it hurt?"

"Agh…" Yang seethed through grit teeth. "I haven't felt like this in a while."

Her head throbbed, but those feather-like touches made her feel better, if only a little.

"You may have a concussion," the priestess delivered the bad news. "You took a really hard hit."

"Fan-fucking-tastic," Yang didn't sound happy. At all. Although, she did feel better when she gazed into those azure orbs.

"Because of you," Weiss said in a bargaining tone. "Ruby and Blake got in a few solid hits as well. That demon is the biggest pest. It refuses to stay down."

"Looks like we're gonna have to force it to."

Slowly, Yang sat up. Weiss was there to make sure she didn't strain herself. Of course, there was a round of throbs. Yang squeezed her eyes shut from the pain and got upright.

"Easy," the priestess murmured.

Yang looked at her girlfriend. "I want to stand."

"Are you sure?" Weiss looked skeptical from that. She thought it'd take her a bit longer to gain her bearings.

"Yeah," the blonde confirmed. "We don't have time to lay around."

Weiss looked troubled by that, but knew it was true. She was about to retort, but saw the determination swimming in those lilac eyes.

"Okay," Weiss admitted defeat. "We'll take it slow."

With resolve, Weiss acted as a crutch and wrapped one of her girlfriend's arms around her shoulders. Weiss kept a firm grip around Yang's waist to keep her from stumbling.

In a daze, Yang looked down to notice that Weiss had absorbed most of her weight. "Thanks, princess."

It was true she was smaller than the taller girl, but that didn't faze her. Yang needed support and she was going to get it.

"Are you okay? Does it still hurt?" the priestess asked, then bit her lip.

Stupid questions.

Of course she wasn't okay. But Yang would definitely act like she was when it was obvious she wasn't.

Yang frowned from having all the attention focused on her when it should be elsewhere. It didn't matter to her that she was injured, so long as her friends were safe. She could fight through any pain if it meant she could protect her team.

"Enough about me," Yang said. "We gotta help Blake and Ruby-"

Their attention was stolen in the form of a yelp. On cue, a red blur streaked across the sky like a jet line.

"Ruby!"

Just after Ruby was knocked out of the sky, Blake gave chase. The demon didn't expect her to abandon the fight and sent a menacing roar after her. The vibrations almost caused the faunus to stumble, but she always kept her footing.

Ruby tumbled roughly into the ground as she let out several anguished grunts. The grip on her gun was forced open as the weapon skidded to a halt. It was like Ruby was falling down several flights of stairs. Like she wouldn't stop. Her aura was exhausted, so it didn't do much to protect her.

When Ruby finally came to a stop, she was panting harshly like it was hard to breathe. A hand was over her ribs as she clutched them in pain. The adrenaline was no doubt masking most of the pain.

To Blake's surprise, Ruby got on her feet rather quickly. Although a grimace ensued.

"Ruby, are you okay?" Blake asked hastily, standing next to her in case she needed support. "That was-"

"I'm fine," Ruby insisted as she inhaled sharply. "Winded, but fi- agh..."

Blake took one look at her and frowned. It was like a kid was insisting that she was fine after wiping out on a bike. Not buying it, Blake gently pulled Ruby's hand away from her ribs. Not wanting to fight her, Ruby allowed it as she took a few deep breaths.

Slowly, Blake pulled up Ruby's shirt to examine her ribcage. Just as she thought. The skin over them was dark red. It'd definitely become a nasty black in time.

"Ruby…" Blake whimpered.

"It's nothing I can't handle," Ruby said as she gazed at her surroundings. "We have other things to worry about."

A few dozen feet away, Ruby was relieved to see that Yang was standing with help from her girlfriend. She was alive, which compelled Ruby to end this once and for all. That damned demon needed to go down.

In one fell swoop, the demon knocked Ozpin and Goodwitch off Wanda. When the professors landed, they were motionless in a tangle of limbs.

They were at their limit.

Before the beast could gobble up the unconscious guardians, Yang pointed at the beast and used a stern tone.

"I'm the dragon!"

She didn't have red eyes, but she sounded determined. Ruby noticed her visibly flinch after announcing that.

In response, the dragon whirled around to face her with its multiple yellow eyes. Good. At least their professors were no longer the main target.

Sensing her injured sister had some fight left in her, Ruby smiled. If her sister could still fight in her condition, the rest of them could.

" **Pollination!** " Ruby announced.

For a brief moment, Blake and Weiss hesitated and looked to the sisters. They only followed when Ruby and Yang charged.

"You bunch of dolts are insane!" Weiss shouted, directly behind her girlfriend.

As if to agree, the dragon roared menacingly. The air vibrated as the dragon leaped forward.

With her semblance, Ruby was able to dart herself and her sister to the side. It was sudden, so Yang received some head poudings, but persevered.

After dodging a wing, Ruby shot a bullet into one of its eight yellow eyes. From the recoil, her ribs throbbed in agony. The pain was worth it when a pop rang out. The yellow eye popped like bubble wrap. That seemed to do enough damage because the beast recoiled and squeezed the other eyes shut.

Before it could roar, Yang careened a harsh right cross into the eye that popped. This punched served to make it cave in. Her aim was almost off thanks to the pain in her head. Some yellow liquid plopped onto her fist from impact and she cringed in disgust.

"Gross..."

Her head may have been pounding, but the eye liquid was grotesque.

Yang was so focused on the grossness that she didn't notice the dragon go in for another blow. Before it could, Blake pushed Yang out of the way to safety. Luckily, Blake was able to dodge the incisors by jumping off one of them.

Due to Yang's injury, she battled to open her eyes, just trying to stay awake.

Directly after, Blake carried Yang a safe distance away.

"I got you," Blake whispered reassuringly down to her.

To stop the beast from giving chase, Weiss raised her rapier. The light connected with the tip of her weapon to the demon. Her tiara, bangle, and locket glowed a blindingly white light. A white beam enshrouded the legs of the beast. The air dropped a few octaves from impact as the white slowly engulfed the shrieking dragon.

Now, she was free to purify because the curse was broken. Purifying alone would have been difficult, but with her team dealing more damage, purifying the massive demon was possible.

Gradually, the whiteness trickled its way to the rest of the massive body. This depleted a lot of energy, so Weiss took several sharp inhales to focus. The beast shrieked while trying to break free of the white light. The priestess strained to hold the white. It was like trying to contain a lion in a cage. Her body screamed in protest as her life force drained.

After the white light fully engulfed the darkness, Blake summoned several clones with the remains of her energy.

During this, Ruby hailed bullets with her sniper rifle, grimacing from every recoil. Every single eye was blown out. Ruby's pain became too much and she fell hardly on her side, gasping for air.

With the help of her shadows, Blake was able to leap above the flailing dragon.

"Agh!"

She screamed in determination. Her resolve wasn't to kill, but to protect her teammates. She'd do it even if it killed her.

With all her might, she sliced through one of its red, translucent wings. The demon shrieked in agony as a heavy wing thumped on the grass. The moment it detached from its body, the white light surrounding it forced it to wither away.

Blake could hear the bellows of the beast and harsh pants from Weiss behind her. But she didn't have the energy to look around. Not enough to even stand, and fell.

At last, the beast collapsed as it succumbed to the white light. The legs gave out as the attached wing twitched spastically.

By this point, it was harder for Weiss to keep purifying. A demon this massive stole so much energy. It felt like an eternity when it finally happened. The dragon ceased movement completely, and began to dissipate. Black specks drifted to the dimly lit sky and swirled.

When Weiss was sure the beast was dead, she allowed herself to crumple. She had no energy left to spare, and it didn't take long for the darkness to drag her into the abyss.

There was peaceful silence as snow began to drizzle from the calm sky.

* * *

 **Obviously, this chapter is named after the song called White Light. "Now it's time to rise as one. I wanna be the white, 'white light.'" The relic hunters rose as one to defeat the *mermaid man from spongebob* EEEEEVIIIL!**

 **Yang said in the beginning "I am here" to Weiss when the adventure started. Now, Weiss said it, instead of saying "I'm here." It's a reference to the song "Here" by The Ancient Magus' Bride.**

 ***pokemon narrator voice* The big bad monster has been defeated! What awaits our heroes? Find out next week!**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	83. There's a Droplet of Hope Still Shining

Regaining consciousness was a difficult feat.

Despite that, one-by-one, the team and guardians woke up to a dimly lit sky and calm snow.

The dragon's corpse had vanished completely. The temple was no longer burning and emitting smoke. It was a pile of debris on the frosty grass. Nothing but ashes and eerie grayness. This told them that it'd been at least several hours since they all blacked out.

It took a little time, but somehow, the team and guardians gathered in a circle. Every person was on their knees because they were either too exhausted to stand, or they had injuries that were difficult to bear.

For Ruby, it was hard to breathe as she clutched her side. Her ribs needed treatment. Weiss had a hard time keeping her eyes open from exerting so much energy. The burn and gashes over Blake's skin throbbed in agony. Not to mention, Yang's head was pounding relentlessly.

The guardians received dozens of minor injuries. What put them down for the count was an extremely hard hit and exhaustion. Ozpin and Goodwitch had never been this drained and battered their entire lives. That said something, especially in Ozpin's case of living for thousands of years.

The only reason why no one fell on their side was because they had the support of their friends in the small circle. Each person had an arm wrapped around their backs to hold them up. For emotional support as well.

In victory, Yang grasped the final piece of the relic. She got the honor to hold it first since she was the first one who volunteered to help Ozpin with his quest. Besides Goodwitch, who'd been with him since day one.

"Here," Yang whispered, handing it to the headmaster. "I believe this is yours."

"Thank you, Yang," Ozpin said solemnly.

Slowly, the headmaster grabbed the small piece and held up the bigger shard in his grasp. The bigger shard had four of the original relic pieces fused together. It was finally time for the fifth and final shard to complete the relic and restore the original.

It felt so surreal to hold the last piece. For a moment, Ozpin inspected it.

Blake's cat ear flicked. "All this time and you're hesitating?"

"No," Ozpin replied. "I was making sure this isn't a replica. It's the original."

The faunus breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good."

"We did it…" Ruby breathed.

Carefully, Ozpin pressed the smaller shard against the larger shard. This caused a green flash. When the light disappeared, the smaller piece vanished.

"It's fused," Ozpin announced like their job was officially done.

The entire year had been a challenge. Finding each relic pieces had been difficult to say the least. But the experience was something the group wouldn't trade for the world.

For everyone to see, Ozpin held it out. The team leaned in to stare. The whole relic was about the size of Ozpin's palm. Now, it would be too big to fit inside the priestess' locket.

In awe, Goodwitch gazed at it. "It's finally complete…"

It felt like it'd been forever to get here and now. From the sight, a massive weight was lifted off their shoulders. It was like they could finally breathe again. It felt so liberating just to see the outcome of their hard work.

Since Glynda was fascinated, Ozpin handed the relic to her. Cautiously, she held it and made sure the team could see it. The dull, white relic was almost shimmering. Perhaps it might under the moonlight. It felt like smooth glass in her hands.

When she was done, she gave it to Yang.

"All our hard work for this?" Yang said like she wasn't impressed. That earned a few chuckles. "Worth it."

There were no ragged edges. The relic was almost in an oval shape. It felt so comforting that Yang almost forgot about her raging migraine.

When she was satisfied, she handed it to Ruby. Ruby just rubbed her hand over the smooth surface with a pained smile. Her side hurt a lot, and she thought about everything her and her team had been through the last year for this shard.

"You were hard to get, you know that?"

It was like she'd been waiting to say those words all along. Of course, the relic didn't reply like a baby who couldn't speak. It was surrounded by the utmost care and love as multiple pairs of eyes landed on it.

Blake nodded in agreement. "It really was."

When Ruby was done examining it, she handed it to Weiss. The priestess meticulously inspected it, finding it intriguing that her mother risked her life for this relic. There was an immediate connection. She felt her mother swimming inside and smiled from her angelic touch.

The snow continued to drizzle and blended with her pale skin and the relic.

Blake was next to hold it and paused for a moment as she rubbed a thumb over the smooth surface. Her cat ears flicked as she was absorbed in thought. She recalled why her friend, Yang, helped Ozpin in the first place. The main reason Yang volunteered to help Ozpin was the possibility of Blake being able to become human.

The relic, at full capacity, could turn faunus to humans. Humans to faunus. Half demons to full demons. Full demons to humans and everything in between.

The faunus stared at the relic for a moment. Unintentionally, a smile graced her lips.

She was content.

Her friends and guardians leaned in with anticipation.

The gazes around her told her that there was nothing to fear. That being a faunus was okay. She'd known that from the beginning. Which is why she wasn't tempted to change into a human in the slightest.

When Blake passed the relic to Ozpin, her friends were immensely proud. Her chance was gone. And she couldn't be happier.

"I'm perfect the way I am," Blake said confidently, fighting the strain of pain lacing her voice. Her injuries were gradually becoming harder to bear.

Weiss must've noticed this because she tightened the grip around her waist.

From Blake's statement, Yang grinned widely. "Yeah, you are!"

"Never change," Weiss smiled.

Ruby offered her a genuine smile. One that wasn't hiding agony. "Love you."

From the display of encouragement, Ozpin smiled as he clutched the relic like his life depended on it. Which it did.

A few moments of silence passed.

This was it.

Ozpin took a deep breath for his goodbyes.

"It was a pleasure knowing you all," Ozpin said in the same stern voice. "It was an honor to be your headmaster."

Weiss gave him a heartfelt smile as the snow fell on her white hair. "Thank you for helping me learn about my past and my mother. I can't thank you enough."

"I only did what was right," Ozpin replied. "I'm glad you found the answers you were looking for."

The priestess only nodded and sadly gazed at him, knowing he didn't have much time left.

"In case you didn't know…" Ruby said cheerfully. "You kinda sorta changed our lives forever. In a good way!" she quickly added.

"You did the same for me, Ruby. I wouldn't have been able to break my curse without team RWBY."

The team broke out into smiles.

Blake chimed in after she thought about what she should say in a time like this. "We learned so much about the New World thanks to you. We learned a lot of things about each other because of this experience. We grew closer because of that, so thank you. From the bottom of my heart."

Tears were now freely flowing down everyone's cheeks except Ozpin's.

"Naturally, Blake," Ozpin nodded and looked to Yang, who wiped away a few tears.

Yang tried out her signature grin, fighting the waver in her voice. "We'll catch you on the other side eventually."

"Let's hope that's not anytime soon, Yang."

With that, Ozpin gazed at the professor kneeling next to him. "It was an honor to know you, Glyn. Thank you for jumping to my side when I first fought Cinder."

That was something team RWBY didn't know about. No wonder why Glynda had always known about the New World.

"We didn't win the battle," Glynda said. "But we won the war."

"That's right," Ozpin said with a cheerful smile.

"It was an honor to be by your side, Oz," Goodwitch said sincerely. "I don't know how we'll manage without you."

"You'll find a way. You always do."

Fondly, the professors tightly hugged. Ozpin felt tiny hiccups from the woman. It was obvious that Glynda was trying so hard to keep it together and didn't make a sound. He stayed strong for her, not wanting their last moments together to be of him crying. Instead, he wanted their image of him to be the same old headmaster they've always known.

When the partners pulled apart, brown orbs met sad green.

"I entrust my academy to you."

After Ozpin said that, he gave her a firm pat on the shoulder. Glynda was too shocked by the news and just sat there.

"Wait, what?" Goodwitch asked like she wasn't hearing correctly.

"Watch over them," Ozpin smiled and glanced over to his students.

"You as well," Glynda replied.

With that, Ozpin placed a green time dial over the relic. As the group watched, the relic shattered as it flickered neon green for a second. Before the pieces could reach the frosty grass, they vanished in thin air.

Directly after, Ozpin looked up to the sky. It was so peaceful. Snowflakes sprinkled serenely onto his face as he calmly inhaled. He closed his eyes to savor the warmth trickling through him. He had nothing to fear. This was a calm feeling.

Green encompassed his veins before the color emanated his form. When it covered his entire body, everything was still for a moment. Like he was a statue frozen in time.

From the unique sight, a few gasps rang out. The team and professor were too afraid to touch him. Like he might break any moment. Before anyone could say anything, Ozpin joined the breeze. His ashes swirled with the wind and calmly floated away.

He was free.

Tears streaked down their faces. Their beloved headmaster got his wish. Finally, he was at peace.

Despite the overwhelming sadness, the sun was shining.

Together, the students and professor held each other in solemn silence. The occasional whimper lingered.

The snow didn't stop drizzling.

* * *

"Mmhmmmmm, mmmhmm~"

While Taiyang cooked chicken parmesan, he hummed a chipper tune.

Steam rose from the pan as the delectable chicken popped from the heat. A delicious aroma filled the house and wafted in his nostrils.

Casually, Taiyang tossed a piece of chicken on the wooden floor. In an instant, Zwei devoured it like a vacuum. After, he plopped by his master's feet, patiently waiting for the next piece. His tongue lolled to the side as he kept his beady gray eyes fixed on his hand.

Taiyang's eyes never left the food as he spoke. "Where'd they go? I haven't seen them since last night."

A calm yip.

From the bark, Taiyang leaned down to pet Zwei between those broad ears.

"They're so troublesome."

As if Zwei agreed, he barked again.

"Let's hope they get back soon," Taiyang said with a smile. "We don't want the chicken to go to waste."

Multiple pants from the corgi ensued.

Taiyang bent back up with a light sigh. "Alright, alright. I'll give you one more."

Instantly, Zwei hopped up and leaned on his master's leg. His panting increased tenfold in excitement when he used that tone of voice.

"Just one," Taiyang clarified.

On command, Zwei opened his snout while grinning. His canines were in full view as another mouthwatering piece of chicken landed in his mouth. The corgi chewed greedily and plopped on the floor with an overly happy face.

"I put salt on that one," Taiyang mentioned. "Did you like that more than the rest?"

A loud woof.

"I'll take that as a yes and keep it in mind, my dear taste-tester!"

It didn't take long for the food to finish cooking. When the chicken was done, Taiyang placed the pieces on a paper towel to wait for it to cool down.

Blankly, Taiyang stared down at his dog. He hoped his daughters would be home soon. The fact that they didn't come back last night was worrying. What was even more worrying was that none of them were replying to his texts. The read receipts didn't even register.

He recalled what Ruby had said before they left last night.

 _Don't wait up._

That definitely meant that they'd be gone for a while, so he tried not to worry too much. He trusted that his daughters would come back. From whatever they had to handle.

Before Taiyang could sprinkle salt on the chicken, there was a knock on the door.

"Alright! They're back!"

Eagerly, Zwei zipped to the front door with his tail wagging. He barked incessantly and didn't let up. At least until Taiyang opened the door to reveal several people.

"Woah!" Taiyang exclaimed as he stared at them in shock. "What the hell?!"

Goodwitch was holding up Yang, who was dangling over her back. On her right, Emerald was unconscious with blood all over. The professor adorned a grimace as one of her arms was wrapped around Emerald's waist. Yang's head was dangling down, setting off alarm bells in Taiyang's mind.

To the right, Blake was holding up Ruby, who adorned a grimace like she was going to break. On the other side of Blake, Weiss used the faunus as support and leaned on her side, barely able to stand. The faunus also looked like she was on the verge of collapse. Her skin was covered in cuts and bruises, and more worrying, smears of blood. Briefly, Taiyang wondered how she was holding up two people in her condition.

In short, it looked like they'd taken a tour of Hell.

Ruby smiled to try to calm her father down. "Hi, dad. We're in a little situation... eheh…"

After, Ruby whimpered from the throbs in her side. Blake could only try to keep her upright.

"What's going on?" Taiyang asked, concern shot through his being. "Why's Glynda here, too? Who's that?" he asked, referring to Emerald.

"Please…" Glynda could barely keep her eyes open. "Help them…"

Unable to hold up Yang and Emerald any longer, Goodwitch tipped forward as her eyes fluttered shut. Swiftly, Taiyang darted forward and caught them.

"Woah- hey!"

"I'm sorry…"

Not soon after, Blake sagged to the porch and brought Ruby and Weiss down with her. Since Taiyang's hands were full, he couldn't catch them. A few whimpers from Zwei lingered as he tried to lick them awake.

"Oh no-" Taiyang gasped. "Guys?! Guys?!"

When no one responded, he bit his lip as he tried to calm himself.

"Don't worry," Taiyang whispered down at Glynda. "I got them."

For now, any questions could wait.

He had to help.

* * *

 **The chapter title is from Cross the Line: "The night's approaching. Ravenous and cunning, but 'there is a droplet of hope still shining.' This is everything to me. The only thing I need."**

 **The droplet of hope is the snow!**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	84. The Only Thing I Need

"Awwww," Yang cooed softly. "There's my cuddlebug!"

Unable to help herself, Weiss leaned onto her girlfriend with a smile. Naturally, she was attracted to her girlfriend's warmth and nuzzled her head into the crook of her neck. In response, the blonde threw an arm around her shoulders and snuggled closely.

Weiss didn't mind the open display of affection. The only people in here was her team.

As usual, the teacher's lounge was comfortable and homey. Just outside the closed door, dozens of students bustled in the halls. While people scampered to random classrooms, team RWBY could relax. The shared free period was spoiling them.

Slightly, Weiss adjusted herself and pressed closer to Yang's side. "You're so warm."

Yang saw her chance and immediately took it. "Like a warm plate of hash browns?"

Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose. "That was one time."

Across from the freezerburn pair was the ladybug couple, who was cuddling on the other couch.

Ruby couldn't wipe the smug grin from her face. "Haha, I remember that! You were so drunk!"

The priestess frowned. "I said that to Yang, didn't I?" she looked to Yang for approval.

In response, Ruby just shrugged. Her smugness never faded. "What would I know?" she said, blatantly egging her on. "I'm just a mean cherry."

Together, the three laughed from the throwback. Ruby laughed especially hard. Due to this, Blake kept a close eye on her girlfriend for the slightest hint of a grimace. Thankfully, there were none. It'd taken a few weeks, but Ruby's ribs were fully healed. It took so long because a few had been fractured.

Pouting, Weiss leaned back on the couch and crossed her arms. "I don't have to deal with this."

More snickers.

Fondly, Blake gazed around at her dear friends. Ruby was healed. Yang's concussion was gone, and Weiss was no longer exhausted. The only lingering effects from the battle was the burn scar on the faunus' back. Any cuts and gashes she suffered had faded since then.

Blake leaned forward to address everyone in the room. "Can we take a moment to appreciate how awesome Dad is?"

"He's super Dad for sure," Yang agreed. "And he didn't even question us about what happened until we were fully recovered, so that was nice. He was dying to know."

Ruby nodded with a smile. "I'm glad we decided to tell him everything."

"He was so shocked," Yang said with a wide grin.

"Can you blame him?" Blake replied. "To not only find out about the New World, but to also be told that his daughters were wrapped up in it this whole time?"

"He glued a lot of pieces together because of that," Ruby said. "All those 'work out' sessions with Yang suddenly made sense."

Weiss gripped the edge of her skirt. "Do you feel bad for telling him about the New World?"

The three shook their heads.

"No," Blake answered. "The relic is gone and our duty is finished. There's really no harm in telling him."

Yang used a solemn voice. "He's been our silent supporter this whole time. I see no reason to not tell him. Especially since the danger has passed."

"I guess that's true," Weiss admitted.

"Are you thinking about telling Klein?" Blake questioned, sensing the hesitance in her friend.

"Yes," Weiss said. "I think Dad deserves to know. He's been through a lot because of it, and was given either no explanation or a vague one."

"He'll believe you, you know," Yang said confidently.

"I know."

Ruby pointed to her head and spun her finger in circles. "You should tell him, but if we told random people, they'd think we're crazy!"

"We do have our semblances as proof," Yang was quick to remind. "So maybe not _too_ crazy."

"That's fair," Ruby admitted. "But I'd rather not be a human experiment."

If ordinary people found out that team RWBY had their semblances, the group would no doubt be subjected to various tests from scientists. Be poked and prodded to figure out how the hell 'superpowers' were possible. When in reality, everyone has the potential to have semblances. Their aura just needs to be unlocked first. The general public didn't know about that, and the team wanted to keep it that way. It would disrupt the peace they've fought so hard for so long.

Blake grimaced from the thought of being an experimental subject. "That'd be awful. Let's agree to keep our semblances a secret."

Multiple firm "yeah's" rang out.

Lovingly, Ruby set her hand on her girlfriend's back. All this talk about taking risks led her to wonder about her injuries. "How's the burn? Do you need more medicine for it?"

The faunus put on her best smile. "It hasn't stung since last week."

"Alright!" Yang cheered. "That's what I'm talkin' about!"

"I'm glad," Ruby chirped. "You were more roughed up than all of us."

The burn throbbed for a couple of weeks after the fight. Besides Ruby's ribs, that was the most difficult injury to completely heal.

Weiss recalled the image of Blake that night a few weeks ago. "Your uniform had seen better days."

"It was just cloth on my body," Blake said in amusement. "I don't know how it stayed on me after all those cuts. There was no fixing it."

Yang adorned a smirk as she raised the heat slightly in the room. "It was fun to burn it."

Weiss squeezed her hand. "You had a grand time taking care of that for her."

"It was easy peasy!"

Suddenly, the door creaked open. Now that the group thought about it, it'd been quiet outside. Class probably already started.

None other than Glynda Goodwitch sauntered inside the teacher's lounge with a clipboard in hand. She was vigorously taking notes, so she didn't notice the four sitting on the couches.

"Hey, headmaster!" Yang greeted cheerfully. "How's the new title treatin' ya?"

Like she'd been waiting for that question, Glynda sighed and sat next to the blonde. She placed her clipboard on the table in front of her and propped up her feet. Tiredly, she tilted her head back as she stared up at the ceiling and sighed again.

The picture of exhaustion.

"Having a hard time?" Blake questioned, her cat ears perked up.

"That insolent man left me with this school," came Goodwitch's reply.

She didn't sound upset or like she was complaining. It was a more solemn tone.

Yang laughed boisterously. "Oh shut up, you know you love it."

Glynda gazed at the ceiling, knowing that Ozpin was watching over them right now.

A smile formed from the thought.

"I never said I don't."

* * *

In the corner of the living room, Zwei was spazzing out with something.

With what? Taiyang didn't know. Although, he had a hunch.

All he saw was his beloved dog spastic and acting all giddy. He'd been like this lately. Ever since his daughters told him about the New World.

"Zwei," Taiyang called sternly, which caught the corgi's attention. "What're you doing?"

A calm bark.

The corgi then looked over at what he'd been playing with like it was obvious.

Nothing.

On the couch, Ruby, Blake, and Yang watched the scene in amusement. Their father's confused expression caused them to smirk. Before, they were watching a show on T.V., but that could wait.

Zwei was playing with something alright.

Next to him sat a familiar white cub. Playfully, the friendly creature angled its rear in the air with its tail wagging. The corgi followed his companion's lead and let out a yip.

"You know how he is," Yang thought of an excuse to make her think her dad wasn't crazy. "The tiniest things excite him. I bet a spec of dust set him off."

Confusedly, Taiyang rubbed the back of his head. "You're so weird, Zwei."

That earned several giggles as Zwei pounced on the cub. This elicited many lovable licks to his furry cheeks.

"Wait," Taiyang suddenly said. "He's playing with one of The Mirrored, isn't he?!"

"Yep!" Yang said with a giddy smile. "You should've seen your face!"

Multiple giggles ensued.

"Man..." Taiyang mumbled. It was odd not being able to see it. "You know I'm not used to this yet!"

After much debate between Yang and Goodwitch, that's the term they settled on to call the creatures.

The Mirrored are creatures that are the exact opposite of grimm. After the fight with Cinder, all grimm had vanished like they never appeared. In the monsters' place came the Mirrored. They were overly friendly creatures in the purest form.

It had already been attempted to purify this Mirrored in particular. But these creatures only absorbed the white light and shined brighter than stars. They wouldn't disappear, and the team was oddly okay with that.

The Mirrored in general didn't cause any trouble. Only served to make their lives better somehow. They were a joy to be around. And by this point, this Mirrored that'd taken residence in their home was more like family by this point.

The white wolf cub adorned red streaks over his white fur. The Mirrored lacked body armor and adorned kind red eyes. Not eyes that lust for blood and devastation like grimm. It was like the grimm were transformed into these cute, fluffy creatures.

And of course, anyone without an unlocked aura couldn't see them. Which left Taiyang in this odd position.

Together, the four watched Zwei and the Mirrored cub wrestle.

"What was the pup's name again?" Taiyang asked.

"Salmon," Blake chimed with a smug grin.

"That's a stupid name," Taiyang said bluntly.

"You're a stupid name," Blake retorted.

From that, Taiyang looked skeptical.

Ruby waved him off. "We call him Sal for short."

"Now that's cute," Taiyang replied.

Having enough of watching the pups playfully fight, Ruby decided to whistle. "C'mere, Zwei!"

From the chipper call, Zwei abandoned the match and scampered up to the red-hooded girl. Ruby leaned over the couch and picked him up before giddily setting him on her lap.

"That's a gooood boy," Ruby cooed as she pet his gray fur.

In the corner of Yang's eye, she noticed that the Mirrored wolf cub was pouting. Tiny whimpers escaped the cub, and the blonde sighed.

"Sal~" Yang sang.

From the call of his nickname, Salmon darted over to the blonde's waiting arms.

Naturally, the name was given to him by Blake. For some reason, it was the first word that popped in her mind when they first laid eyes on him.

Yang set the creature in her lap and happily stroked the white fluff.

"Can I pet him?" Taiyang suddenly asked.

"Sure!" Yang beamed and grabbed his hand. "His back's riiiiight here."

Since Yang could see Sal, she helped guide Taiyang to touch the fluff. To Taiyang, it was odd to stroke air. Although, he did feel a sudden warmth that didn't emanate from his daughter. There were also the slightest vibrations that tickled his skin.

"Do you feel him?" Yang asked.

"It's really warm."

Curiously, Ruby asked. "Do you not feel the fluff?"

To the girls, Taiyang was properly brushing the cub. Salmon's fur was stroked back and then forward. All while the cub rested in Yang's comfortable lap.

"It's just _really_ warm in this spot," Taiyang informed. "And there's a vibration feeling to it. It feels nice."

Blake's cat ear flicked. "He really likes it."

"Salmon would be really nice for dinner tonight," Yang mentioned. "Don't ya think, Blakey?"

In response, Blake's jaw dropped. She looked horrified-

"Oh my god no, not Salmon! I meant actual salmon like the fish!" Yang blurted. "Jeez, I'm not a monster!"

"Whew," Ruby said in relief. "That'd be so messed up."

"I'm just giving you crap, Yang," Blake chirped. "Salmon sounds really nice."

Taiyang heavily sighed as he set his hands on his knees, ready to stand. "Does this mean I gotta make dinner now?"

Ruby kept her hand on his back to prevent him from leaving. "We're kidding. Relax with us."

His three daughters sent him warm smiles. Lilac, amber, and silver pools twinkled with adoration and love. In return, Taiyang gave them a wide grin. Having his daughters be healthy was all he needed. It was everything to him. When he was healing their injuries, he didn't think that they'd ever be the same. Especially after the dreaded hospital visits. However, their grins showed him that he had nothing to fear. They were the same daughters he always loved.

"If you insist," Taiyang said happily.

With that, he allowed himself to sink into the couch. Leisurely, he slung an arm behind Ruby and watched what was on the T.V. screen. Ruby pet Zwei and set her hand on top of his warm fur. Her other hand was holding Blake's own. Next to Blake, Yang was rubbing Sal, who was resting on her lap.

It'd been a few moments before Taiyang spoke up.

"What did the salmon say when it swam into a wall?"

To prepare herself, Blake folded her cat ears on top of her head while Ruby held her ears to block any noise. Yang leaned in, expectant.

"What?" Blake asked in a monotone voice, wanting to get it over with.

"Damn," Taiyang finished with a smirk.

Some groans and a laugh.

* * *

 **BurningPeace is the one who thought of the term "The Mirrored" he's kind of a genius. It's a reference to the song Mirror, Mirror and because they're opposites of grimm. Much wow.**

 **The inspiration for The Mirrored is from a game called Okami. If you Google 'Okami Chibi' that's what the wolf pups look like! Adorable, huh? Shadow Nightblade helped me out with that part.**

 **Lyrics were mentioned from Cross the Line by Amalee: "This is everything to me. 'The only thing I need.'" His daughters' well-being are all that matters to him. Now that they're better, Taiyang can rest easy.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


	85. A Second Chance

"Pancakes or waffles?"

Yang stared at Nora like she was challenging her. Which she was. She wanted to watch her squirm. Meanwhile, Nora sent the blonde a deadpan expression like that was the most idiotic question in the entire world.

"Pancakes, duh!" Nora beamed. "Do you know who you're talking to?"

Casually, Yang leaned against her locker with her arms crossed."I dunno. I kinda like waffles better."

When those words left Yang's mouth, it caught the attention of all her friends. Tension rose in the air from the opinion. Everyone knew Nora's strong feelings toward pancakes, so the fact that Yang was throwing them out the window caused them to stiffen.

Yang just wanted to see the giddy girl's reaction. For fun.

Nothing else in the halls mattered. No one mattered. Just the blonde's smirking lips.

Nora and Ren stared in disbelief at her, their jaws dropped. Ren more out of disbelief, and Nora just because of how wrong Yang was.

Gently, Weiss tugged on her girlfriend's orange scarf and whispered. "Are you _trying_ to start a war?"

She could hear the shrapnel already.

"You gotta admit, it's fun to set people off," Yang said with a smug grin.

Ruby mumbled under her breath. "Maybe for you…"

It didn't take long for Nora to register Yang's words. Like that couldn't possibly be true. Like there was no way waffles could be better than pancakes, could there?!

Nora pointed accusingly at the blonde. "You take that back!"

Confidently, Yang rested a foot against the locker she was leaning on. "My _correct_ opinion stands."

Before the volcano could erupt, there was thankfully, a distraction. A person was walking by the large group as she joined the sea of people. The girl happened to be Emerald, who was holding a large stack of papers.

"Hey, Em!" Yang waved cheerfully.

The call caused Emerald to stop in her tracks. She whirled around to meet multiple pairs of curious eyes. Without breaking stride, she joined them and got out of the way of the main flow of traffic in the hall.

"Hey guys. What's up?"

Yang put her hands on her hips. "We're havin' a little disagreement and need you to settle it."

"Oh great," Emerald rolled her eyes. She didn't look or sound amused. "What is it?"

Nora clapped her hands together. "Pancakes or waffles?"

Just after she asked the question, Nora sent her a daring glare. A glare that said 'if you pick waffles I'll paint the school red,' so Emerald felt like she didn't have much of a choice in the matter.

There was silence as Emerald contemplated the question. Agree with the girl who had a strong opinion toward pancakes and live happily ever after, or disagree and feel her wrath?

Everyone stared at her in anticipation. Practically everyone was mouthing for her to pick 'pancakes,' except Ruby, who wanted to see Nora's possible reaction if she happened to disagree.

After Emerald heavily sighed, she answered.

"I'm going with pancakes so she doesn't go on a rampage."

"Hah!" Nora beamed triumphantly and pointed at Yang. "I win."

"That doesn't count and you know it," the blonde evenly replied.

"Ren thinks it does," Nora said confidently. "Right, Ren?"

Like Emerald, Ren heavily sighed. "Why do you always drag me into these things?" he asked in a whine.

Before things could escalate, Blake diffused the situation.

"How're you adjusting?"

The faunus was looking directly at Emerald when she asked the question. In response, Emerald took a moment to ponder and fixed the stack of papers in her grasp.

"Transferring's a bitch. Don't do it."

Of course, Emerald had to think of an excuse as to why she suddenly left school for a few weeks. It's not like she could tell normal people what the actual reason was...

 _Oh I left Beacon to help a half-demon named Cinder capture a relic that could turn her into a full demon. Too bad Cinder was purified and left a fire-breathing dragon she oh so graciously named Kevin behind. Not to mention my old friend Mercury ran away from the fight screaming like a little bitch. In the aftermath, Cinder betrayed and impaled me, so that was a doozy._

… that'd turn out well.

Ruby cringed, feeling sorry for her friend. "It's that bad?"

"Not really," Emerald reassured. "Just more work than I expected."

Naturally, Emerald couldn't just come back to Beacon and expect it to be all sunshines and rainbows. She had a few things to make up for. A few things she had to repent before life could go back to normal. At least for now.

In understanding, Blake nodded. "You might want to get going. Glyn gets scary when she's mad."

"Yeah, you're right," Emerald said. "See you guys later."

"Bye, Em!"

With that, Emerald went on her way. Her destination was the headmaster's office, and she didn't want to keep Goodwitch waiting for the paperwork.

As Emerald disappeared, Pyrrha gazed at her back. The wheels in her mind were turning. "I'm glad she's doing well. Why did she transfer again?"

The first time she was told the reason, it was hazy. Pyrrha didn't think she was given a clear explanation.

"She wasn't gone for long," Ren added evenly. "Transfering to a new school and then back sounds like a lot of work."

To ease their suspicions, Weiss cut in. "She didn't tell us much. It might be a personal reason. We should respect her space."

Ren shrugged in agreement. "That's a good point."

While the group conversed, Blake watched her friends. She was lost in her mind, thinking about how and why Emerald was here in the first place.

Ruby noticed that her girlfriend was pondering. Most likely about that and lovingly kissed her cheek.

"You're such a good person."

In return, Ruby received a sweet kiss on her cheek.

* * *

 _Flashback… a couple weeks ago…_

After a deep breath, Blake placed her hand on the doorknob.

 _This is just Glyn. You can do this._

In the center of the double doors was a plate that read:

 **Headmaster's Office**

Confidently, Blake swung open the doors and strolled inside.

There was a trail of green carpet that led from the doors to the large, glistening desk. The carpet wasn't there before. Probably a detail Goodwitch added after she took over.

Like a lioness strutting through her pride, Blake approached Headmaster Goodwitch without breaking stride. She was here for one thing. And one thing only.

When the doors opened, Glynda gave the student her full attention.

"Blake," Glynda greeted as she sat in her cozy chair. She sounded pleasantly surprised and intrigued based on the fact that she set her pen down. "Can I help you?"

"You can," Blake said sternly and set both of her hands on the mahogany desk. "I came here to talk."

"About?" Goodwitch asked, her interest piqued.

Normally, the faunus was straightforward and spoke passionately about what she cared for. This was definitely one of those times as the headmaster lent an attentive ear.

"It's about Emerald," Blake said, her golden orbs prying into green.

Goodwitch adjusted her glasses and crossed her arms. "What about her?"

Her tone almost switched to defensive. Something the faunus expected. Just Emerald's name caused Goodwitch to be on edge.

"I want her to be allowed to come back to Beacon," Blake finally said.

That caused Goodwitch to perk an amused brow. Blake was here on behalf of Emerald of all people?

"After everything she did to us? To you?" Glynda interrogated as she leaned forward on her desk and glared into those amber orbs. "Blake, she aided the half-demon. She made things so much harder for you. For your team. For Oz."

"I know," the faunus didn't deny. It's not like she could. "Em made bad decisions. Decisions I'd never agree with, but…"

The faunus dipped her head as she searched for the words she was trying to say. Glynda's word was law at Beacon now. And Blake had to convey how important this was. All Goodwitch could do was wait for Blake to continue as she gripped the edges of the table.

When the faunus knew what she wanted to say, her head whipped back up and met that stern gaze once more.

"She said she owed Cinder her life," Blake recalled. "Cinder betrayed that trust like Emerald was worthless. Like she wasn't even a person. Like she was just a pawn."

Somehow, Goodwitch could feel what Blake was feeling. How Emerald felt. Hurt.

"Emerald- she was around evil, but she wasn't evil," Blake explained. "She hesitated to kill me. She hesitated to hurt me. I truly believe that she always did."

Due to Blake speaking from the heart, Glynda was immensely proud of how far she'd come. In the past, the faunus closed off her emotions, and now she was laying them all out on the table.

To remind her, Glynda mentioned. "Blake, you were in horrible shape because of her. You had so many cuts…"

That was an image Goodwitch couldn't get rid of. Back then, it looked like Blake was a bloody tiger. Except the stripes were cuts that gushed blood.

"Everyone was hurt," Blake reasoned.

"The burn-"

"Was my decision," Blake finished for her. "I wanted to protect Emerald, so I did."

That was all Goodwitch wanted to mention. Obviously, the faunus had thought about this for some time now.

"If you hadn't protected her from the fireball, she would have died," Goodwitch acknowledged, solemness swimming in her eyes.

The faunus was willing to risk her own life to protect Emerald. Without hesitation. Even though they were supposed 'enemies.'

"Emerald owed her life to Cinder," Blake repeated, this time with a waver in her voice. "She wanted to repay her, so she did those horrible things…"

"Blake…" Goodwitch murmured.

"She deserves another chance. Let her come back."

Goodwitch saw the determination that sparked in those golden pools. Briefly, she broke eye contact and wondered what Ozpin would do.

The right thing.

"Fine, she can come back."

"Yes!" Blake blurted, and then closed her mouth. "I- I mean thank you."

From her reaction, Glynda cracked a smile. "However, she will receive punishment."

That caused Blake's cat ears to perk up. "What kind of punishment?"

"She'll help me out around the school for a few weeks. Nothing too harsh. Not as harsh as getting impaled, at least."

The faunus exhaled a large sigh of relief.

"Thank you."

* * *

Together, Klein and Weiss sat on the couch. In front of them, the T.V. was playing one of their favorite shows they liked to watch.

In their free time, their guilty pleasure was true crime.

"All these people on the run and receiving help from their families," Klein observed, unamused. He whipped his head to face his daughter and his mustache frowned. "If you commit a crime, I'm not covering your tracks. You're on your own."

Weiss sent him a betrayed expression. "Good to know you have my back."

A few chuckles.

Sadly, that's when the show ended. Unfortunately, Weiss had a few things to do before bed and stood.

"I'm going to study now. You know finals are coming up."

Klein nodded in understanding. "Tell the Mirrored I said hi."

"He has a name," Weiss said in amusement. "He still whines when he goes by the door. You can meet him when he's ready to leave my room. Although, you won't be able to see him."

"Regardless, I'm excited," Klein replied with a grin.

Now that the priestess' job was done, she had filled her father in on everything. Like Taiyang had been. Weiss figured that since she had one of the Mirrored hidden in her room, she wouldn't be able to keep it a secret. Even if Klein couldn't see him.

As Weiss entered her room, Klein called after her. "Let me know if you want anything!"

"Will do!"

After Weiss shut the door, she whirled around to see the familiar visitor on her bed. The creature was white and adorned red markings. The ball of fluff was curled in a ball like he was sleeping.

Fondly, Weiss sat on the bed next to the pup. "Hello cutie~"

Since the grimm had disappeared, this pup had taken residence in her room. He appeared around the same time Salmon arrived at Ruby's house. The Mirrored could appear anywhere. It was just Weiss' luck that she had an adorable companion wait every day for her to come home. Maybe this was some kind of reward the New World wanted to offer her.

The pup awoke slowly and yawned, which caused Weiss to squeal. "Sorry I woke you. How are you so cute?" she asked, brushing his back.

He yipped in return and rested his snout on her palm.

Lovingly, Weiss picked up the pup and hugged him. The ball of fur happily nuzzled into her neck.

"Thank you for keeping me company, Oz."

* * *

 **SHE NAMED A MIRRORED AFTER OZPIN I'M NOT CRYING YOU ARE.**

 **Stay dandy,**

 **~Toto**


End file.
